The Story of the General
by Wolfgang Amadeus
Summary: ...for the most sublime thing that one can know in this world...is the power to reward and punish."
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This is a long one. Brace yourselves.  
  
Comments, questions, compliments, and flames all accepted. On that note, let the story begin.  
-  
Chapter 1  
  
The man turned slightly, his eyes and blade flashing in the half light. The monster came at him, but he could not see it. The air seemed murky and it swirled around him like water. All that his eyes would register were the flashes of light that betrayed the fire that the demon breathed. He swung his sword, slashing off the demon's head, but almost immediately another grew in its place. Suddenly the monster took on a form that was very human like. A beautiful woman stood before him and started to laugh evilly at him. The man leapt forward, sword held high, ready to impale her on the razor edge. Her name came easily to him.  
'Beryl.' He thought the word with such an intense hatred that it almost hurt to say the name. The woman disappeared. Her laugh taunted him and he whirled up from the dusty ground. His eyes locked with hers and again he rushed forward, his eyes blazing. His throat burned as his voice scaled up into an ancient battle cry, like that of his distant ancestors. In his frenzied rush, he lost all of the cold logic, all of the elegance that he had based his life on. Time around him seemed to run a little slower. He charged forward, his eyes locked on her face. A smug smile tugged at the corner of her lips. He leapt again, knowing that he could not miss. As his saber reached out to stop the tormenting laughter, everything around him exploded into light. Again he tried to strike at her. And again. And again. Everything grew dark and like a wet blanket, it smothered him, trying to snuff out his soul. He screamed, a raw expulsion of energy that disappeared into the mantle over him. His body also screamed, a last burst of psychic energy that tried to beckon for help. But it slowly died out. But her laughter did not.  
  
The man woke up. Sweat poured down his brow and down his cheeks. His blue eyes grew misty as he relived every tortured second of the massacre. His conscious mind sought a logical answer to the torture of this dream, but the deep primal fear that accompanied it defied his reasoning. He closed his eyes, trying to fight that fear. He ran his hand through his blond hair, now spiky from the moisture. By now he knew the dream by heart. It had been seven long years, since he had renounced that evil. Seven long years. Now it seemed that it had come to claim him again.  
He pushed himself up. He definitely wasn't going to get anymore sleep tonight. The man sighed and padded slowly to the shower. He felt the warm water running down his shoulders and his back, washing away the pains of the incubus. He leaned against the shower stall, his mind fuzzy from the warmth. But the sour taste of fear still blossomed fresh in his mouth.  
  
Rei Hino looked out the window with an expression akin to sadness. It was a cloudy day, with wind and rain being the prevalent elements in the struggle. It had been many long years since the fight with Galaxia, and it finally seemed like peace would reign. But that peace also came with sadness. Yuuichirou had moved away for a few months, only to return a neat, clean shaven young man with a clipped, almost imperial accent. He also returned with a girlfriend.  
Rei sighed. He was no longer the surfer bum that was so infatuated with her, that she could hold in the palm of her hand. Instead, he was an intelligent young man, a good listener, and the best male friend she had ever had.  
'Stop dwelling in the past. It's not productive'  
Yet, Yuuichirou was the closest to a boyfriend she had ever had. And she missed that feeling, of how one person could hold her in such high esteem as to cater to her every whim. She hugged herself. She wanted that feeling back.  
But back to business. Rei slowly and meticulously performed a ritual, she had executed a thousand times before.  
The fire before her seemed to feed on her presence, building up to higher proportions as she shifted from the physical world to the metaphysical.  
She immersed herself in the nothingness, leaving her body to soar on a higher plane of being. The power of her visions though, varied. If meditating in the city, she could feel and see the lives of millions. If she meditated on a plane or ship, she could see the interactions of countries and politics in a fierce interwoven archaic struggle of survival of the fittest. But if meditating here in the Shrine, the center of her being and power, she could occasion a glimpse of the planet Earth and ultimately observe the destiny of the universe itself.  
Her mind observed momentous happenings, far beyond the comprehension of the human mind. She noted her friends Minako and Makoto, their energies far greater than that of any mortal. Her friend Ami, diminutive senshi of water, had her intelligence, creating a far greater ripple in the energy plane than Newton or Einstein. And Hotaru, the silent warrior of Saturn, had a frightening amount of power of which death was only a small part. Haruka, Michiru, far away from the others, had a sort of distant power, though one not to be taken lightly. And most of all, her dear friends Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san. Their energies seemed to feed off each other, nurturing each other's thoughts. Their love was special, something she seemed destined to never have.  
Something tugged at her mind. Frowning, she dove deeper into the infinite waters of that plane. Something glowed slightly, not fierce or menacing, but suppressed almost. Rei came closer.  
As if it had sensed her presence, it tried to wriggle away. Rei closed the distance quickly, attempting to find it or perhaps make contact. As she touched the shadowy figure, it vanished.  
Rei opened her eyes. She had not touched it long enough to make true contact, but she had touched its mind. It was a familiar presence, someone she had known long ago.  
  
The towel clung around my legs and, annoyed, I tossed it to the chair beside me. The shower had cleansed the last few aches and pains from my body. My blond hair fell around my eyes, and I slowly brushed it back. My hair usually is not so unruly.  
Carefully I eased on a black robe. I had touched her. It still bothered me immensely. How had she known? Found me amidst the shrouds and barriers that I had constructed? Among the garbled mesh of what was the psychic plane?  
I should have known. I had faced her power before and it was something not to be trifled with. The power of the sacred fire was the core of Sailor Mars' ability, allowing the senshi a vital tool in defeating their enemies. It's prediction power was unmatched, not even by Nephrite's stars, nor Wiseman's crystal ball, nor anything that the enemies of light and goodness could even muster.  
That fateful night, I acted like a fool. Just a damned fool. The senshi were weak and scattered. I could have swept them off the earth with a single blow. Then, through some twist of fate, they defeated me. I sighed and walked towards the main bedroom. My home was not like that of a typical bachelor's. No, there weren't clothes strewn everywhere, nor was it even dirty to any extent. It was rigidly clean, almost military. Perhaps just a throwback to a dynasty long past and a life long ago.  
My hand reached out to push open my closet. Dark blue dress shirt. Dark blue pants. No tie, not yet. Forgive my tastes, I wear dark colors to remind myself of the pain and death I have created.  
I looked out into the brilliant California sun, that splashed golden light all over the foothills. It has become a ritual of mine, to observe the sunrise.  
Perhaps I am a fool. The life I lead is perilous and in another life I would have scoffed at any whose chose it willingly. Yet I am irresistibly drawn to the edge of life and death.  
By now you must be wondering who I am, what I stand for, and about the life I am forced to lead. I suppose I used to be an embodiment of hate and deceit and a thousand other evil emotions.  
I think that an Americanism fits rather well for my situation. "Life's a bitch and then you die." In all honesty, there are days when I wish I were dead.  
Sighing, I selected a black tie and held it to my neck. I muttered softly, "Looks like a damn bruise."  
I chose another tie, this one the same shade of dark blue as my shirt. "Infinitely better."  
The clock read seven o'clock and it was time for me to go to work. I grabbed my jacket and padded downstairs to my car.  
  
The first five years after I had come to America, I had attended college and business school at Stanford, building my connections within the computer world. Right after b-school, I joined a then-small software company as a marketing and sales executive. My knowledge of numerous Asian languages helped with overseas sales, expanding to create branches in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. I enjoyed the way my life had turned out. I was the chief operating officer of a software company grossing sixty million dollars sales a year alone in the United States, formerly a subsidiary of a larger conglomerate. It paid well and the job challenged me. I had managed to streamline production and internal business processes and was looking forward to more work.  
My executive assistant entered, carrying a sheaf of papers.  
"Ah, the messenger comes bearing gifts!"  
She flashed a quirky smile, "Yes, Mr. Kaitou. Your usual run of the mill memos, notices, and...." She waved a piece of paper in front of my face, "Something else."  
"Really now. Something tells me that you know more than I do about this....something else."  
The assistant regarded me with amusement, "You haven't heard the rumors?"  
I laughed, "Ma'am, you know me. I'm as dense as bedrock and about as intelligent."  
She giggled, "Yes, sir. As you know, the CEO is preparing to retire soon. It is rumored that..."  
"I'll get the post? I couldn't run this place. I'm not much of a leader."  
"Whatever you say sir." She winked and left.  
I smirked and then proceeded to open the envelope that she had handed me. I arched an eyebrow. It set a meeting with the Board of Directors. In twenty minutes.  
I sighed and paced around a bit. My secretary re-entered with a mug of coffee and a jelly donut, "Thought you might want something to eat before your meeting."  
"You knew?"  
"Sir, I am your secretary. Or as you prefer to call me, your executive assistant. I screen your calls and your mail. I would be remiss if I didn't know everything that happens to you."  
"Ms. Anison, what would I do without you?"  
  
"Mr. Kaitou, please sit down."  
"Thank you, sir."  
The chairman of the board stood up and betrayed amused twinkle in his eyes, "I would first like to thank you for all your efforts on behalf of this company. We've experienced growth beyond our wildest dreams, much of it due to your personal leadership and vision."  
"Again, I thank you for the praise, although much of it is undeserved. I only helped coordinate those to who truly made this company what it is."  
"Then you will do us a favor and convey our appreciation to them. I suspect you know why you're here today."  
I smiled wryly, "I only found out this morning from my secretary."  
"Then this will come as no surprise. We are formally offering you the position of Chief Executive Officer of this company, due to your efforts in expanding our East Asian market."  
"East Asian, sir?"  
"Through our research we've realized that the majority of our sales are overseas. We're suggesting you create a regional subsidiary in Japan. You'll be spending an equal amount of time between here and there."  
"Admirable grasp of the situation, however Japanese land prices are rather high. As you know, the Ginza business sector of Tokyo has average land prices per square foot in excess of anything here in the United States."  
"We have realized this, but the Tokyo hub is an essential business and travel center. The cost factor is mitigated by the fact that we own a medium sized office building in the heart of the Ginza. We have thus far rented it out to businesses, but are offering it to you."  
"Thank you, sir. But I need some time to think about it. Could I get back to you two days from now?"  
"A reasonable request. It is a huge move. You'll want to ask your assistant about the move as well. We've heard many good things about her. I suspect she is in line for a promotion as well. A very large one. I think you'll have to decide that for yourself though."  
"I'll relay the message sir. Thanks."  
  
Ms. Anison sat on the edge of my desk. "How did it go, sir?"  
"Not bad. I got the job, but I'm not sure whether or not I'll go."  
"What's the problem, sir?"  
Carefully, I framed my answer, "They want me to hover between here and Japan."  
She shrugged, "What's so bad about that?"  
"First, they want you to come with me-"  
She smiled genuinely, "You mean it?"  
"You're more essential to the operation of this company than I am. I would not have a transfer unless you cam along."  
"Thanks for the praise. Now if you could only be that nice during National Secretary Day."  
"I do what I can."  
"So besides your wonderful consideration of me, what else is preventing you from going to Japan? I'll bet it was a girl."  
Sometimes, she is so incredibly perceptive, it scares me. I raised my eyebrow slightly, "Yes, a long time ago. We had a very difficult fight nine years ago. I've never gone back and apologized."  
"Were you two close?"  
I smiled ironically, "In a way, yes. Very much so."  
"And you'll be afraid that you'll see her one day and won't be able to deal with it."  
"That's about it."  
"Well, I've been told that the best way to deal with one's fears is to face them, " She stood up and took off her glasses, "You know you're the best person to run this company. You're the most experienced and most intelligent person we have. Are you going to let some twit from your past rule your decision to carve your place in history?"  
I regarded her with even more respect then I had for her before. An honors graduate of Columbia University in psychology and economics, she was far overqualified for the job that she had chosen. However, Dana Anison performed more the role of a highly regarded middle manager than secretary. Her finger lay squarely on the pulse of the company, anticipating personnel problems even before they started. Additionally, she typed at 200 words a minute, read at 4000 words a minute, and was a source of endlessly interesting commentary and advice. I didn't think she would stay a secretary for long.  
Of course, this portrayal seems to be rather sexless. So, I ought to mention that she was actually very attractive. However, during the time of our association, she had never had a steady boyfriend and at times, I had considered dating her. What had stopped me was company policy and our close bond of friendship. Both without family on the West Coast, we had tended to spend holidays and significant amounts of time together. While this spread rumors through the company, our open policies and banter had not generated anything serious.  
I considered myself blessed to have met and befriended her. "I suppose not."  
"Anyway, I've always wanted to visit Japan. Maybe I'll find eligible bachelors there."  
"One can only hope." 


	2. Chapter 2

-  
Chapter 2  
  
I stumbled home, wrecked by the constant demands of work. The news of my placement had spread through the building, and I had endured congratulatory drinks and a celebratory dinner.  
Pulling off my tie and jacket, I tossed them to the chair next to me. I smiled, another drink would not hurt. Walking over to the bar, I pulled out a glass and filled it to the brim with vodka.  
It was genuine Russian apple vodka; there were actual apple peels in the alcohol. Warmth crept down my throat. I do not get drunk easily, perhaps it is a holdover from the old days. During college, I was able to knock back drinks with the best of them...at least during the weekends. Indeed I enjoyed it immensely, one of those vices I allow myself.  
However, there were more important things to deal with. I had kept a quiet eye on each of the Sailor Senshi over the years. I now knew their names, residences, and their current locations. The vaunted Sailor Mercury, Ami Mizuno, had become an exchange student to America, attending the California Institute of Technology. She was a student of chemistry, pursuing her dream to become a doctor. She was barely an hour away from my location and that thought made me grin idiotically.  
Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus had attended Tokyo University, both studying political science. Rei Hino had almost gone on to theological school at the University of Chicago, but decided to pursue those studies, along with an emphasis on business, at Tokyo University as well. Makoto Kino had equally almost gone away to America, thinking about attending the San Francisco Academy of the Culinary Arts. However, she had gone instead to study in France at the Sorbonne. The senshi had done quite well for themselves, lessening the pain of losing to them long ago.  
In returning to Japan, I would be dealing with only three of them, but I had heard rumors of other senshi. I had yet to confirm their existence but I did not doubt it. However, I was fairly sure that most of them were not in the immediate area. I had to minimize contact with them, were they to recognize me. It might be a bit difficult, but ceratinly manageable. Right?  
I lifted the phone and dialed a few numbers, "Mr Chairman? Hi, this is Ryan Kaitou. I will accept. Ms. Anison and I are at your service."  
  
Rei performed her duties with care. Even with other priestesses, she felt the obligation to sweep the temple grounds every morning by herself. In a way, it gave her spiritual peace from the hectic life of college partying and studies. It also hid her restlessness at finding a job.  
She didn;t want to run the temple forever and a college degree no longer assured a job in Japan. With her graduation coming within a couple of months, she needed some sort of security amongst the increasing unemployment rates that wracked her homeland. Rei supposed that she could look overseas, but competition from American universities was stiff. She grimaced, a painful gesture on her normally beautiful features.  
However, her mind soon wandered to other matters. The senshi had not faced a single enemy for many years. Indeed, their experience in university had been a wonderful one, with each of the girls pursuing her dreams. Ami was due back from California in less than a month, having graduating early to work for an American biotechnology firm's Japan branch. Mako had recieved commission as an assistant chef at a high class restaurant in the Ginza and had already moved back into her old apartment. However, Makoto had expressed some dismay with the cooking world, finding it too elitist for her grounded personality. She had cultivated a serious interest in botany and ecology in France, and had decided to investigate that line of work more closely.  
The two other inner senshi, Usagi and Minako, were graduating along side Rei, but each of them had more concrete plans than she. Usagi would stay in Tokyo University for another few years, pursuing a graduate degree in public and social policy. The vaunted Sailor Moon had found her calling in governmental studies, aiming at the surest route into politics.  
Minako was examining business school, and perhaps law as well. The international arena held many attractions to her, and she had aggressively scouted out opportunities and internships among companies. At the last moment, a British bank had had an opening for a junior analyst.  
The temple robes fell softly over her arms and she pushed them up again, to gain more freedom to sweep. Mina-chan had promised to help her in the job search. She hoped that something would turn up.  
  
I fidgeted slightly straightening my tie and wondering whether or not I ought to take it off. The staff already there, setting up for my arrival.  
"Ryan, you look fine!"  
I looked at Dana, "I thought I was Mr. Kaitou!"  
"Only in the office, sir. Don't even give me that superiority crap. Besides, I'm technically not your secretary anymore."  
"Yeah, I gave you your current job. I'm almost regretting it. I'll need to get a new secretary won't I?"  
"No, that's my job. I'm the 'Director of Human Resources.' Essentially more responsibilities with the same pay."  
"Don't whine, the company is paying for your housing."  
"Prices in Japan are insane too. I'm going to starve."  
"Stop complaining or I'll demote you."  
She scrunched her nose up and stared forward, "Why do I bother being friends with you?"  
"Because you can't fight the irresistable force of my personality?"  
"Because you're completely helpless without me. I take pity on you."  
"Right. That's what I really meant."  
"Exactly. Are you gonna teach me Japanese already?"  
I smiled, "Alright. Repeat after me...."  
  
The dreams came back, haunting my rest. Even as I faced Beryl the third time, I could not fight the incessant fear that accompanied each passing.  
'Could it be a vision? Or simply a dream'  
I bore no illusions. My sensitivity to such things had tipped me off before and I would not disregard them now.  
After two hours, I awoke to the smell of coffee and danishes. "Hey boss, eat something. You need your strength."  
I felt like had been chewing a block of salt. My mouth was dry and my teeth hurt, "What time is it?"  
"About five o'clock Japan time. I just recieved a call from our liason on the ground. He is waiting for you at dinner."  
"Perfect. When can I coordinate with my senior staff?"  
"They are on the ground already. They didn't have to deal with that unfortunate detour through Hawaii."  
"I suppose not. Call them up. I want to make sure that everything is working before I get to the airport."  
Dana dialled a number, listened for a moment, "Here you go."  
The voice of my vice president of sales came through loud and clear, "Mr. Kaitou?"  
"Hey Jerry, what's going on?"  
"Well, we've managed to scout around for a regional sales manager. Dana will have to clear her first, but we're liking what we see. Also, Sima is flying in to help us set up our marketing department."  
"Right. Do we have any problems with language interfacing?"  
"Not yet. The senior staff and I are learning Japanese quickly. We'll be acclimatized soon."  
"Good. I need you guys to expand our customer base here."  
"You're the Chief Evangelical Officer. You convince them!"  
I smiled, "Of course. At any rate, we're landing soon. I'll talk to you later."  
  
"Rei! Are you ready?"  
Rei struggled with a stiletto heel, "I'll never understand how I manage to handle these when I'm fighting someone."  
Minako collapsed on her bed, "They're not so bad. I've heard that they're rather useful for hitting people with. At any rate, I heard that an American company is opening shop in the Ginza. I forget the name, but they're looking for people to help flesh out their divisions."  
"Really? I wonder how they managed to get anything at a reasonable price down there."  
The blonde grinned, "Well, word on the street has it that the CEO of the company is a genius businessman. He has major contacts, with massive presence in Japan and East Asia."  
Rei whistled, "That's impressive. How did he get past the import tariffs?"  
"Simple. You remember our first business class right? Well, when he was only Chief Operating Officer, he made personal visits to the major car and computer manufacturers to sell his first organizational programs. He's a master salesman and he can charge whatever he wants, because no one can come close to his street cred."  
"Wow. This guy is high powered. So what is the game plan?"  
Mina cracked a grin, "Again, simple. You walk in and demand an interview. You have a resume ready right?"  
Rei smiled, "One in my purse at all times."  
"Righto. Let's head out."  
The two girls walked out of the temple compound to Mina's car. It was a cute red Honda convertible, something that readily attracted college aged guys. However, neither of them had had held a steady boyfriend over the past few years, eschewing their male counterparts as immature and perverted. Given some of the deviant material about the sailor senshi they looked at, she was inclined to agree. The short skirts did not help the situation.  
Rei smiled wryly. She had transformed only once in the past seven years, to feel once again the power coursing through her fingertips. In a way, she missed the feeling of fighting evil and being an important part of the workings of society. But she enjoyed her civilian life, relishing every moment of her newly found free time.  
"Thinking?"  
"Yeah. About the old days. You know, when we were saving the world every other day or so?"  
"You actually miss those days?"  
"Well, I miss the comradery. With Haruka and Michiru with Hotaru gone in America, and the various other senshi spread over the world, I'm just sorta missing that closeness we once had."  
"The inner senshi will be together soon. Mako is already back and Ami will be home soon. Isn't that something?"  
"I suppose so. But somehow, I feel this pall falling over me."  
Minako turned a corner suddenly, "Something else is bothering you."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"I've known you for quite a while Rei. I would be a pretty bad friend if I didn't notice things like this. But tell me, what's going on?"  
Rei shifted uncomfortably in her seat, "I saw something in the fire a few days ago."  
Minako's hands tightened about the wheel, "What did you see?"  
"I'm not sure. The presence....it was familiar."  
"Any ideas who it might have been? Do we have to go back to short skirts and jumpers?"  
Rei smiled broadly, "I dont think so. He's not malevolent, just....tortured."  
"It's a he? Ami's old boyfriend, Ryo?"  
"Nope, not him. I distinctly remember his signature. This one was definitely different."  
"Crap. The senshi may actually have to do something about this. Ami will be back very soon, so I'll call a meeting of the inner senshi."  
"Thanks. This sort of thing I'm not particularly good at dealing with. But we need to do something and soon."  
Minako flashed her a confident smile, "Hey, it's going to be taken care of! Don;t worry about a thing."  
  
"Don't worry about a thing she says. We've got a business to run here dammit!"  
Dana laughed, "Done with your daily rant, sir?"  
I grinned, "Yup. Alright. We need to get things rolling. I want a ten minute meeting scheduled with all employees to outline mission, strategy, and purpose. We'll do this by the book."  
"Right sir. I'll send out the memo now."  
"Good. Next, I need a secretary. Dana?"  
"Already on it. We've got lots of prospects. I'll screen them first, and then you can have your pick of the lot."  
"Good. Have you coordinated with sales?"  
"Yes. I've detailed some interviewers to both sales and marketting. We've actually already got some people into the ranks. Recruiting at the local universities is going well also."  
"Jerry?"  
The Vice President of Sales smiled, "Integration has been easier than I expected. Our sales trainers have gotten out the first batch already and they're hitting the corporations. Overseas is business as usual. We haven;t had much time to expand over there, but we'll be remedying that soon."  
"Remember to keep me informed. Marketing?"  
Sima leaned back and smiled easily at me. An old friend of mine from Stanford, he had gotten me entangled in this damned mess. Despite his seniority over me, he had no aspirations to the highest office, electing to resign in a couple of months and give birth to another start up. Only my intervention had convinced him to stay on for just a bit longer to ease the transition. "Marketing is fine. We've signed on several good people who know the East Asian markets better than we do."  
"Cool. Alright people, I have some calls to make. This time tomorrow we meet again. I want a day by day progress report until this company has picked itself up off the floor. Get to work."  
Dana stayed for a moment after the rest had cleared out, "Boss, I'll have them screened by tomorrow. We've got about twenty applicants, so my work is cut out for me."  
"Are you complaining, Miss Anison?"  
"Nope, just making sure you appreciate what I'm doing."  
  
The chair was comfortable. Extremely comfortable in fact. Too damn comfortable in her opinion.  
And the woman in front of her was too damn friendly. Especially for someone who would be deciding her future. The woman's name tag read Human Resources Director.  
"Hi. I'm Dana Anison. I trust you didn't wait too long?"  
Rei smiled briefly, "No, not long at all. Thanks for having me so late."  
"Nonsense! I'm used to working this late."  
"Is the boss that much of a task master?"  
Dana laughed, "He's a good person, demanding, but wonderful to work with. I actually was his secretary for a while."  
"And now you're the Director of Human Resources? That's incredible."  
"Mr. Kaitou is a rather interesting man. Very honorable, very consumed with the ideas of meritocracy and such. He thought I was overqualified for my job."  
Rei smiled a bit quirkily, "Seems like my kind of person."  
"He gets along with all sorts. He's a great man. But, we should get down to business. It would be unfair to the other candidates if we spent too much time with you, ne?"  
Rei laughed, "Yes ma'am, we certainly wouldn;t want to be unfair. Certainly not in my favor either."  
Dana giggled, "Of course not, Miss Hino. I think I'm going to like you."  
"What?"  
"Come back tomorrow. You'll be one of the few to meet the big boss."  
"Wait, you can't have made a value judgement about me already."  
"Sure I did. Look, Rei. May I call you Rei? Look, your resume is nice. You're obviously a hard worker, like everyone else outside. That's why you got the interview in the first place. This interview was to test whether or not I could personally work with you. You passed."  
"Oh. Thanks. This is admittedly different from anything I expected."  
"Well, I'm a gaijin, remember?" Dana grinned, "We do things differently in America. I've learned throughout my career, that interpersonal relations make and break businesses. It's my guiding philosophy."  
  
"So?"  
"So, I'm to come back tomorrow to meet the CEO. The interviewer said she liked me."  
"That's great!" Minako chuckled, "When you came out after only fifteen minutes I was afraid that you had said something you shouldn;t have."  
"Please Mina, give me some credit. I'm not the super hot headed Rei you knew back in high school."  
She grinned again, "Sure ya are. You just hide it well."  
Rei couldn't stop herself from grinning. "Fine, you win. What's next on the agenda?"  
"Well, Usagi-chan wanted to meet Mako for dinner in about twenty minutes. She suggested somewhere nice, because you were all dressed up."  
"Oh kami-sama-"  
"But I suggested a nice reunion at a nice restaurant in Juuban. Ami won't be there....but Mamoru will be. It'll be just like the old days."  
"I didn't much enjoy the old days. Too much fighting for my very survival and all."  
"Aww, sure ya enjoyed them. You just don't want to admit that you actually had fun back then."  
Rei sighed then waved her hand dismissively, "Lead the way, Minako-chan. I can't wait." 


	3. Chapter 3

-  
Chapter 3  
  
I turned from my computer, regarding Dana with an easy smile, "Please sit down. How did it go?"  
"Thanks. And the interviews went surprisingly well. I was very impressed with the competition. I narrowed it down to four potential applicants. We can review them now, if you wish."  
I nodded, "That would be great actually. I need to understand these people, if I am to work with them."  
Dana handed me a stack of resumes. I paged through one, "Ok, Ayumi Hasegawa?"  
"She seemed like a nice enough girl. Exceedingly dull though. I admitted her because of her extensive secretarial experience. As you can see, she's held the post of chief secretary to several other companies, so she's definitely competent. I'm just worried about her motives to join."  
"I was about to say. She has all this experience, she could certainly get a job at a much larger company."  
"Perhaps she is expecting more out of the arrangement than we see."  
"Hmm, I already have a bad feeling about this one. Scratch her."  
"Okay boss, I'll add her to the reject list."  
I turned to the next one, "Ami Tanaka?"  
"She's quality. I think I would enjoy working with her."  
"She falls nicely into our experience range too. Recommendations from former employers are very high too. Did you read this? 'Ami is a savior of the office.' That's sound advice if I ever heard it."  
"Great, we have a winner!"  
"Call her for an interview. I want to meet this lady. Who's next?" I flipped to the next resume. My eyes read the name, then disbelieving read it again. "Um...Rei Hino?"  
"That's right. I love this gal. She's got style and spunk. Definitely a keeper."  
"Put her on the reject list."  
Dana peered at me curiously, "Sir, what's going on?"  
"No, I don't think I can work with her."  
"With all due respect, you haven't even read her damn resume. How can you not work with her?"  
I flipped through it, "Look she doesn't have experience."  
"You once told me that that sort of thing could be learned on the job. Why recant those words now?"  
I glared murderously at the paper in my hand, wishing it would consume itself in a ball of flame, "Look, I don't want to talk about it alright? Just put her on the reject list."  
Dana grimaced, "Sir, I believe that you're making an ill-advised and irrational decision."  
"I don't think it's your place to tell me that."  
"Sir, I believe it is. I am not only your Human Resources Director, I am your friend. I am unequivocally stating that Rei Hino would be an asset to this company."  
I covered my mouth with a hand, repressing a snarl that was working its way up my cheek. Sailor Mars? It must have been a coincidence. They must have thought me dead a long time ago.  
Then again, that contact.  
Goddammit.  
"I'm sorry, I don't think I can work with her."  
Dana's eyes blossomed with new understanding, "Ah, I see. Miss Hino and you have had some sort of history?"  
"Look Dana, I'm not going to argue with you-"  
"Sir, you already are. This is the person you wanted to avoid in Japan, for reasons unknown."  
"Dana-"  
She cut me off again, "What about her do you not like? She seems like a nice enough person to me."  
I buried my face in my hands, sighing deeply. "It's a long and arduous story. One I really don't feel like divulging at this juncture."  
"You know I won't stop bugging you until I know exactly what happened."  
My mind raced to stifle this discussion, "Okay, fine. I'll make you a deal. I'll interview Miss Hino and you'll stop asking questions about this or even talking about it."  
"No deal. You'll interview her and give her a fair chance at this job."  
She had me backed into a corner, "Right. Fine," grudgingly, "She is a pretty good candidate."  
Dana rubbed my shoulder soothingly, "See that wasn't so bad, was it? Trust me, once you meet her again, I'm sure you'll fall in love with her. I have a lot of faith in this kid."  
"Hey, I'm the boss. Why do I feel like I just got blackmailed?"  
"You did, hon. It's because you're a decent human being, who has learned how to forgive and forget. That usually entails somebody taking advantage of you."  
  
When Rei and Minako arrived at the restaurant, they spotted Mamoru and Usagi inside. They had chosen a large corner booth, big enough to accomodate at least four more people. Both of them waved the girls over and Usagi gave Rei her customary big hug.  
"Hi guys!"  
Rei looked at Mamoru amusedly, "How is it possible that she's so bubbly on a Monday?"  
He replied dryly, "The answer to that question has eluded me for quite some time now. I should really look into that sometime."  
"You guys are so mean to me." That comment was delivered with a wry smile. Gone was the whiny, and often annoying Usagi Tsukino. At the age of twenty one, she exuded a genteel nobility, born from acquired knowledge. College had exposed her to a variety of different viewpoints and ideas. It was there that she began to nurture her understanding of human nature, as well as her deep caring for the rest of the world. She had already been accepted into the public and social policy program at the university, and she looked forward to the chance to apply her skills.  
"Where's Mako-chan?"  
"I'm not sure."  
"Minna-chan!" Mako burst in the door and waved excitedly, "How are you doing?"  
"Wow, Makoto, you look great!"  
And great she did look. Dressed in the latest Paris fashions, Mako had rounded out ever so slightly, changing her physique from athletic to sensual. She was even more beautiful than they remembered. The vibrant green eyes spoke volumes of her time spent in Paris, sophisticated and brilliant all at the same time. They had even gained that slightly bored look, common on the faces of Parisians, as if she had already seen everything there was to see.  
"Aw, come on guys. It's just me. So what are we having? I'm craving a burger and fries. France has a noted lack of fast food joints."  
It was indeed the old Makoto Kino, down to earth and lovely in all respects. Rei spoke quietly, "Well, we just got here ourselves. I just came out of an interview."  
Usagi sat up quickly, "So how did it go?"  
"Well enough. The interviewer guaranteed me a callback for tomorrow, so I'm in the running for the finals."  
Mako nodded, "As good an indication as any. Anyone want to split an order of onion rings with me? I haven't eaten yet today."  
Mina hugged Mako's arm, "I'll take you up on that offer. It's great to have you home again."  
"Trust me, it's great to BE home again. France is nice, but I missed you guys. What's new?"  
"Well, Rei's got a job now as a secretary."  
"I have a call back for another interview, not a job."  
Minako smiled, "I know how you can make a sure thing."  
"How's that?"  
"Use your womanly attributes."  
Rei punched her lightly in the arm and then pretended to sulk. Mina continued, "I;ve got a job at as an analyst, courtesy of Dad. Usagi is still in school."  
Mako's grin turned predatory for a moment, "Failing?"  
Usagi laughed lightly and Rei answered for her, "She's actually smarter than the odangoes suggest. She's going to graduate school, if you can believe that."  
"Is this true? Has my little Usagi-chan grown up?"  
Usagi scrunched up her nose, "Yes, I have thank you very much! Anyway, I'm just doing what I like. It interests me."  
Mamoru poked her in the side, "Is that so?"  
She wriggled out of his arms, "Despite what these goobers have told me about it being a route into politics."  
Mako laughed, "So when are you two getting married anyway? You've been dating for what...six years now?"  
"Well, we broke the news to daddy eventually. Turns out we shouldn;t have worried."  
Mamoru broke in wryly, "We have mutual obsession with American football. The second he found out I had a satellite dish mounted over my garage, we got along famously."  
  
For the first time, in a very very long time, I drew the sword. It felt cold in my hand, but light and flexible. I took a practice swing. It still felt the same as it had so many years ago.  
Forged in the finest smithy of the Silver Millenium, it was my sole link to my past, besides my own tortured memories. I moved the sword again. It was a long calvary design, made with many layers of soft and hard metals. Light enough to be wielded easily in one hand, its gently curved blade made it an equally deadly midrange slashing and stabbing weapon. I had learned how to fight additionally with a smaller dagger that fit into the bottom of the sheath, using it to fend off multiple attackers, to overwhelm opponents with multiple targets, and to trap and break weapons. And occasionally to stab people.  
My new home had a nice open space off the side of the main living space. It was a rather large area, two sides dominated by windows that looked out upon the Tokyo lights glimmering in the night. A single source of illumination lit up the area with brilliant light. I brought the blade next to my forehead in a salute, then squared off in a fencing position.  
I jabbed swiftly with the blade, then swung in a wide fluid arc. Switching hands, I dodged to the side of an imaginary enemy and reversed directions quickly, raking my blade across its nonexistent belly. I spun the blade in an infinity loop then dropped to retrieve the sheath.  
'Still have it. Perhaps I should bring it tomorrow. Might be safer for me'  
As soon as I completed that thought, I rejected it. I had chosen my path. Humanity had embraced me, giving me happiness I had thought beyond my reach.  
I resheathed the sword and fixed the clasp. I could not fight Sailor Mars, even should she fight me. The least I could offer humanity was submission to its rule.  
I sighed. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. 


	4. Chapter 4

-  
Chapter 4  
  
At 4:30 AM, I was up, preparing my questions for Rei. Strange that I already think of her on those terms of endearment.  
I pushed those thoughts from my head. The pencil dropped from my hand and I got up to get coffee. I had found an old fashioned percolator and filled it with good Colombian coffee. I left it on and returned to the pencil and pad. 'Miss Hino, why do you want to work for this company'  
'How would you solve this problem'  
'Briefly tell me what skills you would bring to this company'  
I crumpled the piece of paper up and banged my head down on the desk. This was not going to work.  
'Screw it'  
I walked back into the kitchen and poured myself a cup of black. The bitter taste and high caffeine content brought me back to reasonable coherence. I blinked a bit at the sudden rush of awareness that the dark liquid brought me and then looked at the clock. 7:00 already. Damn.  
I had completely lost track of time and now had to scramble. My first interviews would start at 9:00 AM with Rei's being the last at eleven o'clock. Glancing into the mirror, a disheveled man in great need of a shave stared back. I wondered how much of a resemblance I would bear to her. My hair was shorter than seven years ago, my body a bit slimmer, and my face a good deal older. The timeless smooth skin of a Dark Kingdom youth had been replaced with worry wrinkles across a furrowed forehead. The soft curves had hardened, more angular than ever.  
But most importantly, the palpable aura of evil that surrounded my every being had disappeared.  
And if I was lucky, she wouldn't even recognize me.  
'Right, I'm never that lucky.'  
  
Half and hour later, my hair was combed and gelled back into something semi-professional looking. It was a bit spiky, but it wasn;t obnoxious. I worked my tie around. Black shirt and black tie. Black suit too.  
'No. Too severe'  
I tossed them aside and began to search through my closet again. Blue and red? Too presidential. Matching dark burgundy? Too Regis Philbin. Silver on white? That might work.  
The tie was a silver, with a black threads interwoven through it at regular intervals. It gave it a muted coloration. I tied it quickly and added a white handkerchief to my pocket. 'Ready.'  
  
"You're looking very patrician today, Mr. Kaitou. The chairman might think you're replacing him."  
"Thanks Dana." I looked at the clock. I had another forty five minutes before my first interviews and I sat down in front. "You'll be there with me right?"  
"Observing only. You've done this many times."  
"I've done this once. And I managed to get you out of the deal. What does that say about my taste in employees?"  
Dana smiled beautifully, "Mr. Kaitou, I have complete confidence in your ability to choose employees."  
"Right. I hate you."  
  
The first two interviews went reasonably well. The two applicants were well suited for the job, but something had not clicked with me. The largest business is built on the strength of individual people and I did not feel that I could work with these people regularly. They possessed none of the drive, no creative spark that they needed to fit the complex and demanding job. I rolled up my sleeves and dribbled water down my forehead.  
That left a single candidate that I really didn;t want to hire. Of course, I abhorred inefficiency even more. It was a tough decision.  
However, it was still something I had to face. And so, I prepared to meet her like I would have any opponent on the field of battle. I straightened my tie and blocked all emotion from my mind. Looking into the mirror, I saw my own face, unrecognizable, impassive, and yet self assured at the same time. Perhaps a hint of the old arrogance...and I smiled. Just a bit.  
I exited the executive washroom, then proceeded to unbutton my suit jacket. I didn't really need to look that put together. My cellular phone vibrated suddenly and I flipped it open.  
"Hello?"  
"Sir, this is Chalmers in the San Jose office, we've got a situation at one of the manufacturing plants."  
Steve Chalmers was the general production manager and executive vice president for West Coast operations. A weird blend of business sense and practical knowledge, he held two degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, an undergraduate degree in electrial engineering and a degree from the Wharton Business School. He was slightly older than my constructed age, at a venerable thirty five. He was an old school businessman, trained in the conservative ideals of the East Coast, providing a good complement to the Stanford and Berkeley dominated corporation. Chalmers also possessed a wonderfully sense of reserve, not letting his emotions override his logic and rationale. That's why his call worried me, "What's going on?"  
"Well, we have strike concerns among workers. With the economic downturn a lot of workers are afraid of losing their jobs. They haven't managed to unionize them yet, but they want assurances. I've managed to stave off the intial concerns, but they want to speak to you directly and have your personal assurance that they won't be fired."  
I laughed, "Fired? We've had the most productive year in our history. We're expanding incredibly. The final round of VC money just came in and we're expanding, not shrinking. If anything, we need more references to find employees. We're relying on subcontractors because we can't handle the supply ourselves."  
"That coming from you in person would be enough to calm a lot of nerves around here."  
"I'll catch a plane flight into San Francisco sometime this afternoon. Can someone pick me up?"  
Chalmers chuckled dryly, "I'll be there myself with the car. And thanks."  
I shut the phone off then called United Airlines. Although I had flown JAL over, I had thousands of frequent flyer miles in my United accounts from my continous traveling across the United States. No better time to use them.  
In a moment, I had set up a round trip back across the pacific. I would spend the night in my California home, then fly back the next day. The jet lag would kill me, but that was a small matter when compared to the financial troubles that a strike could cause.  
'I'm turning into a crisis manager. This is NOT good'  
But as the former COO, I had dealt with most of these problems personally, in order to better understand the problems facing us. Until a new COO could be found, I would have to deal with these problems myself. Several managers in my company looked ready to step up, but I wondered if a search to the outside might yield someone I hadn't seen before.  
At any rate, I was already running very late on my interview with Rei. Might as well make the best of it.  
  
As I entered the room, Dana and Rei both stared at me. I was nearly fifteen minutes late. I coughed and smiled, "Sorry business emergency."  
As I remembered her, Rei was a cute teenage girl, at the cusp of maturity. The vaunted Sailor Mars had stunned me with her beauty, and ultimately defeated me.  
Age had ripened that formidable beauty. Grown from a girl, into a mature and sexy woman, she probably turned heads as she walked down the street.  
However, very little of that was on my mind as I began to formulate my plan to avoid giving any hints to my identity.  
"Kaitou-san," she said with a wonderful Japanese lilt, "You look familiar. Have I seen you before?"  
And there went that plan. I smiled charmingly as a ruse, "Probably not, I haven't been in Japan for over nine years."  
"Ah, then, Konnichi-wa Kaitou-san!"  
I replied in Japanese, "Konnichi-wa, Hino-san. It's been a while since I've used Japanese in normal conversation. Please forgive my grammar. It must be atrocious."  
She laughed gaily, "Not at all, Kaitou-san! You speak it remarkably well!"  
"That's very reassuring." I switched back to english, "Hino-san, I apologize, but I have to test your English skills."  
"That is not a problem at all. I attended a Catholic school until University. Most of the nuns were not particularly proficient in Japanese, so we learned english as an intermediary."  
"Excellent. I see here you've concentrated on theology as an area of study. Interesting choice."  
Rei stared back at me confidently, "It's was an enriching field of study, despite the fact that it does not directly pertain to business. I wanted to expand my religious knowledge, which was limited to Shinto and the indigenous religions of Asia, to all the religions of the world. If you'll also notice, I have significant theoretical business experience through the university."  
I held up my hands in a non-threatening gesture, "Forgive me, I was not insulting your area of studies. I myself, was a history major. Dana was a psychology major and look how she turned up. A washed up businesswoman who has to sit in on her boss's interviews."  
Rei giggled and Dana hit me on to shoulder. I still did not know how to deal with Rei. She was smart, and I could already tell that we would get along well. She had a bit of a spine, probably a razor sharp wit to go along with it. But there was always the problem if she found out who I was. 'I suppose I can't live in fear forever. Besides, she barely recognizes me. Things should be okay'  
I found myself rationalizing taking her on. She had all the qualities I needed in an assistant and my business sense began to take over. I knew the risks, and weighed them against the possible benefits.  
After many more questions, I stood up and shook Rei's hand, "Miss Hino, it's been great getting to know you. Could you excuse us for a moment, I have to consult with Miss Annison."  
Rei nodded, "Of course, Kaitou-san."  
After she left, Dana leaned back in her chair, "So?"  
"Hire her. She's damn good."  
She stopped and smiled slightly, "Change of heart?"  
"Drop it."  
She fluffed her hair slightly, "Whatever you say sir. Shall I call her back in?"  
"Yeah. We need to wrap this up."  
"Is there a problem?"  
"I'm heading back to California this afternoon. I'll be back the day after tomorrow."  
Dana knew better than to ask, "Ok. Let's do it." She poked her head outside for a moment, "Miss, could you come back in for a moment?"  
I stood and grasped Rei's hand, "Congratulations, Hino-san. You're hired!"  
She looked shocked, "Wow, thanks! Umm, I'm not sure what to say..."  
Dana looked vaguely amused, "Save your breath, you'll need it for the job."  
"When can you start? I know you have university classes still."  
"That's right. I can start part time by tomorrow and full time over the summer and through next year."  
I smiled graciously, "Of course. I'll be gone unfortunately tomorrow, so Dana will show you around. I have urgent business back in California."  
Dana said, "When are you leaving anyway?"  
"I'll need to be at the airport at 4:00 PM. And since I have quite a bit of time, would either of you lovely ladies care to join me for lunch?"  
Dana laughed shortly, "Thanks boss, but I've got actual work to do. I blame you."  
"And you, Rei-san?"  
Rei seemed a bit flustered, but recovered quickly, "Certainly, Kaitou-san."  
I clapped my hands together, "Great. I just heard of this great new restaurant about three blocks away..." 


	5. Chapter 5

-  
Chapter 5  
  
"And so Rei walks out of the ritziest cafe in Tokyo with some incredible hot guy on her arm."  
Mako's eyebrow's raised, "Rei? You've been holding out on us?"  
Rei turned a particularly bright shade of red, "It's not what you think."  
Minako poked Rei in the side, "He's very cute. I'm impressed. Does he have a friend?"  
"You guys...stop it. Usagi, help me out here!"  
Usagi lowered her magazine and regarded Rei with an uncharacteristically faint smile, "Girls, it's sorta unfair to make Rei tell you things that are her own personal business."  
"Thank you! Someone is being reasonable here!"  
Usagi's smile faded and she spoke with even more solemnity, "But Rei, as a sailor senshi, and my very best friend, I think it you would be failing in your duty if you didn't tell us every single thing in the most minute detail." She grinned, "Spill it."  
Rei sighed, "Look, he's my boss. I got hired and he took me out for a congratulatory lunch."  
Mako sighed, "An office romance, no less? How touching. And on your first day too!"  
Minako laughed, "He's very cute too. Nice dark blond hair, quite tall. Nearly two meters as I remember. Muscular. Ooh ooh and a face to die for! Snazzy dresser. If you don't go after him, I might!"  
"Please. I think he already has a girlfriend."  
"Hey, guys are never unavailable until they take themselves off the market. Unless of course, you're the girlfriend."  
Rei covered her face with her hands, "I'm never going to live this down, am I? He's seven years older than me. An old man! Cute, but the age gap is just too wide anyway."  
"Never say never Rei. You guys seemed to hit it off pretty well if I do say so myself."  
"How would you know? You guys barely saw us."  
Minako tapped the side of her head, "My love sense told me."  
"You guys are so mean to me. What are we doing for the rest of the day?"  
As they discussed their plans for the rest of the afternoon, light shone through the skylights of Mamoru's apartment. Mamoru had left for medical school and the girls were alone. Usagi had moved in with him only a few months before and they seemed to be on the verge of marriage. However, Mamoru had wished to wait until he had graduated medical school before they made their final vows.  
Rei fought back that tiny knot of envy which she held for the happy couple. She was beginning to get lonely, as her closest friends began to spread out to their quickly separating lives. Minako, carefree senshi of love, had begun to date again, attracting a large following. Mako was wrapped up in her work at the restaurant....everything seemed to be falling into the lull that peacetime brought.  
She closed her eyes, then decided to take action. "Anyone want to go shopping?"  
Usagi looked up gleefully, "Shopping!"  
Mina jumped up, car keys in hand, "Great! We can ring up debts on your forthcoming pay check!"  
Mako grabbed the keys away from her, "You're not driving in that state, I don;t trust you."  
Rei smiled slightly. They hadn't completely left her.  
  
"I hate plane flights."  
Dana straightened my tie and unbuttoned my jacket, "You look great hon. Now get back in one piece."  
"Miss me already?"  
"Na, just worrying about the job."  
I picked up the briefcase, "Glad to be loved. Alright. I'll see you later. Tell Jerry to have those reports ready by the time I get back. And show Rei the ropes."  
"Will do. See ya!"  
I smiled rakishly, bowed slightly and boarded the aircraft. First class had been booked weeks in advance and I headed back to business class. The seats were still spacious and I had a nice view out the window to accomodate me. I stared outside as landing technicians led the plane out of the boarding area with tiny orange glo rods. The plane flight would be long and I settled in for a nap. I would have precious little enough time to sleep once we landed and I needed to take advantage of the free time.  
But first, I took out my laptop. Usually I despise the things, but this one was about the size of a notebook and fit well into my briefcase. A few modifications by the computer geeks in technology and research had increased the battery efficiency considerably. All things considered, I could get a good five hours out of my system. Which was perfect enough for my purposes.  
Without the internet, I would have none of the interesting information, nor the occasional gaming that the internet provided for me. I admit, I have always had a weakness for Warcraft III. I suspect it has something to do with my old job, commanding an army. In a way, it was a poor substitute for the thrill of being a battle commander, responding to new threats quickly and flexibly. My old friends had always scorned my affinity for tactical command, leading from the front, sharing with my troops the terrors and experiences of bloody hand to hand combat.  
In this age, warfare is conducted in a much more efficient way, with a small platoon of soldiers armed with automatic rifles able to accomplish what a regiment could not do. Had my men been armed like modern infantrymen, Earth would have never fallen to Beryl's forces, nor would have the Silver Millenium have fallen into disarray.  
Those final days had been hectic and terror filled. Kunzite's heavy assault divisions had been smashed, with the survivors barely managing to extract themselves after the death of their leader. The other two generals too had fallen along side their troops. Only my forces were relatively intact, having managed to slip past the heaviest concentrations of enemy forces and inflicting serious damage to the relatively unguarded supply train. Despite her formal training, Beryl was not a particularly proficient military commander. She was clumsy on the offensive, and indeed her only saving grace was that she had an extraordinary numerical advantage.  
My special operations forces were not particularly heavy hitters, but had excellent mobility. On that final day, I rejoined the survivors of the heavy assault group, and placed them on a ridge overlooking Endymion's palace. My special operations division split into three brigades and undertook a series of hit and run attacks, drawing forces away from the primary axis of attack. By the time she reached the royal palace, her forces were sufficiently spread for the remainder of the heavies to thwart her attack. But my forces were sufficiently spread out, that she ignored her primary objective, and began manuevers to trap and annihilate my division. One of the brigadiers held out in a defensive stand comparable to the defense of the Golan heights, holding out for five brilliant hours, extricating a casualty rate of seventeen to one before succumbing to the overwhelming odds. Another managed to extract half his force and rendevous with the heavy assault divisions, which promptly withdrew to the castle walls.  
I was trapped with the third brigade in a large forest. My men sacrificed themselves in a futile break out attack, securing a hole in enemy lines large enough for myself and my personal guard to escape. I know now that not a single one survived.  
What happened afterwards was a moot point. Indeed, I remember very little, save that I fell before Beryl's magic.  
There is no point in dwelling on the past. The laptop began to burn into my knees, and I winced and pulled out the folding tray table. I had a few things to review before sleep: profit reports and the like. It was tedious, but a necessary evil. Sighing, I looked over my schedule and then began to work.  
  
Somewhere in the middle of my work, I fell asleep only to be woken by the gentle shaking of an airline stewardess.  
"Excuse me sir, but we're landing."  
"Oh," I coughed, "Thank you."  
"No problem, sir."  
I blinked several times, and my hand went immediately to my hair. It wasn't too messed up, but I needed to look immediately presentable.  
After we landed, I exited the airplane with my briefcase. Chalmers, as he promised, was waiting outside. Stolid and businesslike as usual, he walked over to shake my hand, "Good to have you back Ryan."  
"Good to be back. Japan is a bit too humid for me."  
"I can tell. Your hair is starting to frizz."  
I smirked and gestured to his receding hairline, "At least I still have mine."  
Chalmers smiled, the crow's feet around his eyes sharpening slightly. He shrugged almost imperceptibly, "I was not blessed with your blinding good looks, Ryan. Just remember, I get In and Out burger everyday."  
"You win. When and where?"  
"I'll drive you out to the facility. Then lunch."  
"Lead the way. Hey, don't you have work to do?"  
"Of course I do. My desk is always on the brink of disaster. But this seemed slightly more important. Plus, I think that the company will run without me for a day or two."  
"So you;re expendable?"  
"Yessir. As are you and all the other executives."  
"Astute observations. Promise not to tell the workers?"  
"I won't if you won't."  
"This is why we work together so well."  
Steve smiled faintly, "I don't think that deception is the basis for a good business relationship."  
"Sure it is. I call it 'corporate culture.'" 


	6. Chapter 6

-  
Chapter 6  
  
"And here's your office. Mr. Kaitou's is past that door."  
Rei cautiously pushed it open. One wall was decorated with various degrees and honors in uniform black frames. Another held a large bookcase filled with classical literature from all over the world. A copy of Machiavelli, another of Sun Tzu's The Art of War, a translation of Cicero....even religious books. The bookcase held the Qu'ran, the Christian Bible, and even the archaic Apocrypha of Christian history. "Typical male office."  
Dana laughed, "What exactly does that mean?"  
"Well, we have the obligatory 'I love me' wall and the pseudo intellectual book collection."  
Dana's expression suddenly turned serious, "I'll excuse that comment because you've just come from college."  
"What?"  
She closed her eyes, "The 'I love me' wall is fairly egotistical, I admit, but aside from that, I would not be surprised if our esteemed employer had read every one of those books on his shelf, most several times or more. He's not a pseudo intellectual, despite his love for business. They aren't all uncouth barbarians like they teach you in university. I remember it well, because I was there once. Take him up for a conversation on Kant or Locke sometime. Ryan might surprise you."  
Rei smiled slyly, "Oh. So...now that I'm...part of the family, so to speak....I have a question." "Shoot."  
"How long have you and the boss been dating?"  
Dana coughed and blushed, "Where did you get a damn fool idea like that?"  
Innocently, "You two go at it every day. I once knew this girl who fought with a guy every day for an entire year. They're currently engaged. Plus, you refer to him as 'Ryan.' Forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't that somewhat abnormal in business?"  
"Ryan and I could never aspire to be more than best friends. He's smart, funny, and very sexy when he wants to be, but our special bond is something I don;t want to endanger with a relationship that may or may not work. Besides, we've known each other too long."  
"How long is that?"  
"Long enough to be the best of friends, while remaining the worst of enemies."  
"So he's available?" Rei asked jokingly.  
Dana admonished her with a mock solemn glare, "Young lady, you just got this job. Wait at least until you get pension benefits before you go after the boss."  
Rei laughed merrily, "Don't worry, I don;t even know the man. Besides, you said that he would be spending inordinate amounts of time in America, ne?"  
"Unfortunately. But travel is part of the job. Anyways, onto job responsibilities. You know the basics; routing memos to him, typing up reports, dictations, and making sure that he doesn't do anything exceedingly stupid like forget to eat."  
"He does that?"  
"He's a bit fanatical. I once caught him working for forty five hours straight, fueled by caffeine and sugar. When it comes to things like that, you need to send him home to sleep. Mother him a bit. He needs it sometimes."  
"And the other times?"  
"He'll be the best big brother you ever had. Ryan's also a pretty good stand in date for parties."  
"Personal experience?"  
"Some. Anyway, just get to know him. He's a good person."  
  
California is beautiful in the spring time. The winter rains had just ended and the hills were flush with greenery. Summer would be along soon, to turn them into dull yellow, but until then the area seemed awash with life. The talks had gone very well. My workers were not unionized and were more than happy with my promises of raises. With the rapid growth the company faced, I promised an 8 percent pay hike through January of the following year.  
Lunch had also gone well, and I had already selected my candidate for the position of Chief Operating Officer. Chalmers had the skills, knowledge, and experience to tackle the job effectively. My only concern was how the other vice presidents would take the news and I resolved to examine each of senior management to see how might I best fulfill my requirements.  
Regardless, I headed home for my own car. I had a bit to think about, and driving was one of my true loves. A short time in Germany and an international driving permit had gotten me a one time chance to drive on the legendary Autobahn. After that, I was enamored with driving my porshe as fast and furiously as I could.  
Unfortunately, the residential area where I made my home had a maximum speed limit under forty miles per hour.  
I sighed and then put the key away. There would be a time for driving later. Now, even as it was just getting dark, I felt like a walk instead. I grabbed a flashlight and left the house.  
The air smelled of wet dirt and there were puddles scattered around. A rain storm had passed through only the day before and I felt the earth sink beneath my weight. For a moment, I stood and looked at my home from the edge of the treeline. It was not the usual bachelor pad. Built for a family of four, I had chosen the home because of the property it lay on.  
The area around my California home was a nice wooded area, sufficiently separating myself from my neighbors. It provided me with a nice degree of privacy, but not too much separation from the outside world. Unfortunately, local teenagers knew of the spot as well, and I spent much time chasing them off my land. I had even broken up an attempted rape once. I smiled grimly, 'That bastard couldn't walk for three months'  
The gentle depression I had suppressed for so long was creeping back into my life. The move to Japan and the hectic weeks after my promotion had kept me too busy to pity myself. But back in the solitude of my home, I realized how empty my life was. Some pictures of myself and Dana on the walls, but nothing to make the house a home.  
I stared up at the sky, wondering where Nephrite was at that moment. He probably would have told me to get a girlfriend. I grinned slightly as memories of him, my best friend, surged up to the front of my memory. I remembered him as he was, noble and intelligent, yet every bit the lady killer the rumors said he was. I missed him terribly.  
At a time like this, I needed his stupid jokes, his flashy smile, and degrading humor. Endymion's four defenders, like the senshi, were deeply engrained with loyalty to their prince, sharing unbreakable bonds of friendship. And now, they were dead.  
I suppose I should have been angry at the senshi for what they did to my friends. Yet I could not condone the evil that they had succumbed to. 'Damn knotty philosophical questions. I should have better ways to spend my time'  
And indeed I did. My phone trilled insistently and I opened it up, "Hello?"  
"Mr. Kaitou, it is Ms. Hino, your secretary."  
I smiled, "Ah, Miss Hino, what can I do for you?"  
She giggled slightly over the phone, "Nothing, I actually just wanted to see if I could actually reach you at this number."  
I laughed out loud, "Yes, Miss Hino, you can reach me at any time at this phone number. I carry it everywhere, but I caution you. This is for business only."  
"Of course sir. Anyway, I called to confirm your schedule when you get back."  
"Certainly."  
"According to your calender, you've got three things on the agenda. First is your speech to the employees on Friday."  
"That is already worked out, and thank you for reminding me."  
"Second is the examination of the sales force."  
"Send that to Jerry, the Vice President of Sales. It's his job, not mine. I don;t know anything about that."  
"Yes sir. And finally you have the party for opening night. I believe it is scheduled for this Saturday."  
"I almost forgot about that. You will be attending of course?"  
She stammered for a moment, "Me, uh sir?"  
"I should expect it. You have recieved an official invitation, yes? In fact, you may want to bring a date and even some friends. It'll be terribly boring with a bunch of us old geezers standing around and reminiscing about the old days."  
I could feel her smile, "I don't think you're that old sir. You can't be more than thirty."  
"And yet my bones are ready to crumble on me. Invite some friends anyway. I think they'd enjoy it."  
"I'll definitely ask."  
"Great. Bye."  
  
Rei stared at the phone with some surprise. She had set out to establish her position with the man, and instead had been politely disarmed by his insistent niceness. And over the phone nonetheless.  
She replaced the phone and reaquainted herself with the office quickly, before tackling a stack of paperwork that appeared magically over the past two hours. She quickly read the cover pages and summaries to a few reports. Ceremoniously, she sorted them into stacks, then ripped off the summary pages and put them in the CEO's inbox. Then she proceeded to file away the reports chronologically and by department.  
A call came in and she took it. No, Mr. Kaitou was not there now. No, she could not give him the phone number of where he was. Yes, she would pass on the message. Good bye.  
Dana had said that she would gradually meet most of managers and executives in the company. They would pass through periodically to schedule meetings and other mundane things like that. Rei suspected that she would probably need to know most of them, if she were to anticipate the various problems that were bound to pop up in business.  
Another stack of papers came in and she began to page through them. Her cellphone trilled loudly and she looked around before answering it.  
"Hello?"  
"Hey Rei!"  
"Hey Mina-chan! What's up?"  
"Well, I'm on my way to pick up Ami from the airport. She needed a ride."  
"I won't be off at work until late and I've got some things to do. I don't think I'll be able to head out with you."  
"That's ok, we'll get together soon anyway." 


	7. Chapter 7

-  
Chapter 7  
  
The international flight allowed smoking in the cabin and I took the opportunity to light up. I had broken the habit during college, but cigarettes had one fatal attraction for me. They were great for thinking.  
Things were moving too fast. I needed a pause button, to stop my life for a few hours or days for me to think, to regain my sanity.  
Life has never given me what I wanted. I've always had to go get it myself.  
I twisted my neck to crack it, then shook the ash off the tip of my cig into the ashtray. If someone would not make my life a bit more sane, I would have to make sanity.  
Time to attack the problem.  
Flipping my phone open, I called Dana's phone.  
"Hey boss, what's up?"  
"Can you get my tuxedo pressed?"  
"You're wearing a tuxedo? Hmm, you'll have all the female interns drooling over you."  
"Whatever it takes to get higher profit margins."  
"Well, it's going to be like a launch party. We've invited prominent businessmen from all over Japan to view our existing product lines. Separately, its a nice way for you to show off your speaking skills."  
"Where is it?"  
"Some ballroom in downtown. It's a nice place. Cost quite a bit too. I'll need to buy a new dress for it. Boss, I need a raise."  
"Talk to my Human Resources Director. She's in charge of that stuff."  
"Funny. When are you getting back?"  
"Landing in about an hour."  
"Cool, I'll be on break then. We can get dinner."  
I smiled, "Are you asking me out on a date?"  
"Me? Hardly. That would against company policy, not to mention a blotch on my social record that I simply could not stand."  
"Just glad to know where you stand."  
  
I rubbed a sore spot on my neck before adjusting the car headrest.  
"Don't do that."  
"What?"  
"Whenever you ride in my car, you always mess with the headrests. I have to readjust them way too much."  
"Hey, you don;t even ride in the passenger seat."  
"Irregardless, it's inconvenient for my other guests."  
"You don't have other guests...and irregardless isn't even a word."  
"You win. So where are we eating?"  
"Just pick some place with a lot of meat."  
"There aren't many of those in Japan."  
I thought about that for a moment, "You're right. Okay, my house, I'll cook. I have some stuff in my refrigerator."  
Dana looked at me slyly, "When did you get the time to shop?"  
"Hey, you know me. I can't stand restaurant food for too long, or I start to get fat."  
She rolled her eyes at me, "Right. As if. So...to your place."  
  
I investigated my refrigerator while Dana leaned back in her chair, filing down a perfect nail. "How would you feel about lamb chops?"  
She smiled, "Can you handle something that complex?"  
"Don't insult me." Preheating the oven first, I pulled out the meat and unwrapped a fairly large piece. Pulling a knife out of the rack, I deftly cut slits in the side, and then rummaged through the 'fridge for fresh mint leaves, lemon, parsley, and onions. The lemon I juiced quickly, then minced the parsley and mint leaves separately.  
"Could you grate the onion?"  
"I thought I wouldn't have to work for my food."  
"Well, you can pay for it..."  
She tossed her jacket onto the chair, "Fine. Have it your way, again."  
Smiling, I slipped the mint leaves into the slits in the meat and rubbed the lemon juice over the meat, then massaged the newly grated onion and minced parsley into it.  
"Pretty simple right?"  
"Yeah, cook it first, then I'll be impressed."  
Arranging the meat onto a pan, I tossed it into the oven with a roasting thermometer. "Done for now."  
"How long is this going to take?"  
"Eh, say an hour. Maybe less."  
"An hour? Damn, if I knew you were going to make me wait, I would have gone out by myself."  
"Come on, put your body at risk for friendship."  
"I have no friends."  
Unfortunately, I had no smart remark to counter that, so I grinned and then turned to make rice. I'm actually partial to rice instead of bread or potatoes as the starchy part of my diet. Somehow, it sits in my system a bit better.  
"Put chicken stock into it."  
"Lemme wash it first....unless you want whatever they coated this stuff with in your stomach."  
While washing the rice, I found myself staring out the window at cityscape outside. It was filled with sparkling lights, that outshone the distant stars.  
"You know what you need in here?"  
"What?"  
"You need some fresh spice plants. Nothing big, but some fresh parsley, cilantro, you know, that sort of thing."  
"Why?"  
"It would make the room smell nice."  
"I'll buy some air freshener."  
She flopped down on a chair, "You;re hopeless."  
"I prefer brutally mercenary, thanks much."  
  
"I hate to say it, but that was excellent."  
I sipped at my wine, "Did you ever doubt my mad skills?"  
"You don't have mad skills to doubt."  
"Indeed. Would you care for another glass?"  
She nodded, "It's very good. Where did you say you got it?"  
I smiled as a filled her glass again, "Brought it back from home. Figured that the bar here needed something."  
"Good choice. It's a nice vintage," Dana paused for a moment, "So Rei called your phone yet?"  
"How did you know?"  
She waved her hand off dismissively, "I have my ways. S he's really taking to the job well. She reminds me of....me."  
"Always comforting. Manipulative and sneaky, no?"  
Dana smiled beautifully, "It's a great combination. You should work well together." 


	8. Chapter 8

-  
Chapter 8  
  
"Rei, I need you to send out invites to the Yomiuri Shinbun and the Financial Times for our release dates. In fact, call a press conference and invite as many business papers as possible."  
"Yes sir." Rei typed out a form letter quickly and printed out perfect copies in less than seven minutes, "I'll have these sent out by this afternoon. Shall I start on your recorded dictations?"  
I didn;t answer her for a moment, "What? Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just a bit preoccupied."  
She smiled slightly, "Did you eat today, Kaitou-san?"  
"What? Food isn't important."  
"Yes, it is." Rei reached into her bag and pulled out a bento box and pushed it into my hands.  
I stood uncomfortably, "Um, I can;t take your lunch. I'll pick up something later. I've just got so much work to do-"  
"No sir, your health is paramount. Besides," she pulled out another box, "I packed two. Dana told me about your occasional business fasts."  
I sat on the edge of my desk, "Well, thank you, but I seriously cannot take this. It would feel wrong."  
She cracked a smile, "Don;t worry sir, you'll pay me back soon enough."  
My eyebrows lifted ever so slightly, "Really. How were you thinking about doing that?"  
Rei smiled, "This party thing tonight. I need an escort."  
"A date?"  
"Is it against company policy?"  
"Technically, no. We actually have some rather active couples here. And while I would personally be honored, but unfortunately I must be there early to host and welcome people. I hope you understand," a mischevious grin, "I suspect that going with you would do my image some good."  
She laughed quietly, "Your image is untarnished Kaitou-san, I do not believe that you need my help with that."  
"However, Dana is still looking for a date. Could you look someone up?"  
"I'll see what I can do. Most of my friends are considerably younger than her."  
"Please do what you can. She gets awfully lonely without someone to abuse."  
"So someone with a high pain tolerance...."  
"You've got the idea." I turned back to my work and began to sign some papers, when the lights shut off.  
Rei looked up worriedly, "What's happening?"  
I opened up the shades, "I'm not sure." As if on cue, the phone began ringing off the hook. I picked it up, when someone began to jabber into my ear, "Sir this is Baxter in the lobby, we have a serious problem."  
I smiled, "What could that be? Does it have something to do with the lights?"  
"Well sir, most likely it does. There is some strange snake-humanoid thing rampaging down here. Three or four people have been killed already but we can;t seem to get out of the building. The entrance is blocked."  
Rei must have seen my face pale, "What's wrong?"  
I ignored her, "Okay Baxter, get up the stairs and out of harm's way. You've done what you can."  
"What's happening?"  
"We have a slight altercation in the lobby. Apparently some monster thing is rampaging around pretty badly.""Kami-sama. So what do we do?"  
I stared at her intently. Normally, I would have ordered any employee of mine to drop what they were doing and head to the roof. But Rei...."Alright, I want you to head the evacuation of this floor and the one below. I'll be down in the lobby, heading the evacuation of the lower floors. I want you people to get to the roof. Call for helicopters or something. I'm sure the military can scrape something together. I'll head down to the third floor, and get help get people out."  
"What about you? You simply can't go down there alone."  
"Yes, I can and at this point, I most certainly will. Get everyone to the roof safely."  
  
I took the elevator down, wondering about exactly I was doing. I was not armed, I could not use my powers against it. Actually, I wasn;t sure I had powers anymore. The situation was over all an exceptionally bad one. I suspected that I would indeed attempt to lead an evacuation and then run for cover like the coward I am.  
Von Moltke once said that no plan survives contact with the enemy. As the elevator doors opened, I saw a few bodies strewn about, but no sign of the enemy. The nearest woman was still breathing and I crept up next to her. She was unconscious, but alive. Unceremoniously, I dragged her to the elevator and set it to go the highest floor, hoping that someone found her.  
I surveyed the area again, examining the bodies to see if anybody was still alive. Interesting that the youma killed them instead of draining them or something akin to that.  
I pondered that for a moment, then my head perked up as if by its own accord. Diving to the side, I barely dodged the silent pounce of the creature that had killed them.  
Rolling into a squating position, I got my first good look. A snake head on a highly muscular body stared back at me. It regarded me curiously, instinctively knowing I was different that the others. Its blood red tongue whipped out into the air, flicking a bit of spittle onto the ground.  
My mind raced. I hadn't fought anything for years, nor had I even faced this particular monster before. I suspected it was a hold over of some sort from the senshi's other enemies. My eyes searched for a weapon in the room.  
But it was not to be. The creature leapt at me, strong, clawed hands reaching for my throat.  
Throwing myself backwards, I managed to dodge the intial attack, sliding under my attacker and then racing to the other side of the room to take cover underneath a security desk. The monster seemed confused, searching around for me, as I frantically searched through the desk for a weapon.  
'A pistol? As they say about beggars....' I flipped the s afety mechanism and aimed for the head. Squeezing three shots off, I looked up in horror to see the bullets bounce off the armored carapace.  
However, they did get its attention. It turned and hissed at me. I aimed again for the open mouth, and saw with satisfaction to see its head snap back. I regarded me curiously, then its hands lit up with restrained power.  
I began to move again, dodging the constant energy eruptions and firing constantly back. As soon as I ran out of bullets, the creature bounded at me on all fours, snapping and growling with animal fury. Before I could react, it reared up in front of me, aiming swipe at my head.  
Automatically, I deflected the blow downwards, and brought my knee up in a savage attack. Its head snapped back again, but I scrambled back out of range. It lunged again, and I whipped off my jacket, wrapping its head up in cloth before aiming a kick at its chest. It staggered back again, this time regardly me cautiously.  
It was then that a flash of red caught the corner of my eye, as Sailor Mars's fire attack flambed the creature quickly.  
She walked over quickly and I could see the concern in her eyes. "Are you alright, sir?"  
I smiled rakishly, "Quite alright, thank you. The police-"  
"-Will be here in a moment. You know, you really ought to leave this sort of thing to the Sailor Senshi."  
I affected a look of bewilderment, "I'm sorry, who?"  
Sailor Mars looked at me steadily, "You'll know us, when you see us."  
Nodding my head respectfully, "In that case, I thank you again. Although, I must say, I hope this sort of this doesn't happen too often."  
"As do we. Keep safe." Sailor Mars dashed into the stairwell, ostensibly to go somewhere else and transform.  
I lifted my arm to my face, breathing heavily. The adrenaline high came down and suddenly realized that I ached all over. Running a hand through my hair, I felt myself get the shakes, something that had happened many times before. The battle was truly over.  
  
About forty minutes later, after the police and firemen had arrived, Rei and Dana scurried across the lobby to me.  
"Ryan! What were you doing?"  
I turned as the paramedic tended to a wound on my arm, "What? What did I do?"  
"Rei told me you came down here to help people evacuate?"  
Rei folded her arms across her chest, "I told you not to."  
Dana punched me lightly in the forehead, "You big idiot, you could have been killed!"  
"Look, there were people down here! What else was I supposed to do?"  
"You mean you wanted to add another tally to the body count?!?"  
"I'm still alive aren't I?"  
Dana turned red, "Goddamn you, Ryan. Sometimes, you act as if don;t care about life."  
I stood up, before being forced back down by the medic, "I care enough about life to make sure that other people have the right to live as well."  
She bit her lip and stomped away. Rei grasped my hand, "She cried for fifteen minutes when she found out you were safe."  
"It takes a bit more than some stupid snake thing to kill me."  
She smiled, "Yes, perhaps, but sir, I hope I'm not out of line in saying that please be careful. You;re a good boss, and I would hate to lose you to something as mundane as a monster attack."  
I smiled, noticing the unique resemblance she bore to Sailor Mars. It's so very subtle, no wonder everyone is constantly fooled. "Thanks for the sentiment. Anyway, send everyone home. They should spend the day with their families."  
"Yes sir. And you?"  
"Me? I'm going home to catch up on my drinking."  
Dana came back, "Not alone you're not. I'm coming."  
"Alone."  
She smirked, "Hell no."  
I coughed and glared, "Go away, Dana." 


	9. Chapter 9

-  
Chapter 9  
  
I poured a full glass of vodka out for myself and downed it in a single gulp. I should have, I should have, I should have.  
But indeed, could I have?  
Perhaps, but even then I could not. Merely a pawn in this twisted game, I knew my only defense was my enigmatic solitude, my cold distance. I supposed that someone would have eventually found out and indeed, who better than Miss Anison? She was my good friend, and perceptive enough to pick up on my self destructive habits and link them together.  
In fact, my actions were strange, even to me. Even in peak performance, that monster was a match for me. My fighting is done with a weapon, two actually.  
But through the day, I am usually unarmed. Which left me with a terrible dilemma.  
Like most forms of power, magic acts as a double edged sword. Like anything, it can be used for great good as well as great evil. Power corrupts the rational thinking process, causing one to do stupid things. I saw that in myself while under Beryl's control, and saw her unbelieving hubris in her pursuit of the senshi.  
Yet, power can also be employed with great nobility, with strength and dignity. I did not know whether I was capable of such, and therefore began to wonder whether I was justified in unleashing powers I probably still had.  
Another swig of vodka scrambled those thoughts and I sank lower into my chair. This would not be an easy decision.  
  
Bowties suck. I fiddled with mine for a while, twisting it around and around, until it looked like an awful mess. Sighing, I restarted, this time making it look semi- presentable. Shrugging on my jacket, I gazed into the mirror and smiled. A little bit of that terrible weight had been lifted from my shoulders.  
I know now why the senshi, and the original generals had been created in groups. It was imperative that they knew someone that might share their pain, victories and defeats. Comradery and friendship were the only things that would keep their sanity. Were they alone...they might turn out like me, lonely, with no one to turn to, no one to understand the torment I faced every day.  
Even as I revealed what I was to Dana, I shielded her from much of the truth of my being. But as she said, that would come another time.  
Now, I must be Ryan Kaitou, leader in business, not war.  
"Regretting your not telling me?"  
I spared a glance backward, "Not yet and I'm even sober. I think I could get used to this."  
Dana folded her arms across her chest and I smiled rakishly at her through the mirror. She rolled her eyes, "Are you done yet?"  
The bowtie finally fixed itself. I straightened my cuff links and then gazed back into the mirror. In a way, every meeting and party I had to attend was yet another audition for me to win. I had to cajole, convince, and threaten my way through the business world, employing every ugly tactic in the book to win a deal. Acting came easily to me, never showing my insecurities or fears. Dammit, I deserve an academy award.  
Amusedly, "Have you ever listened to me when I said I wasn't?"  
"No, so let's go."  
  
I smiled, "Tanaka-san, I am infinitely confident in this company's ability to cater to the needs of your business."  
The heavy set man leaned back easily, "Indeed. Your reputation precedes you."  
I grinned easily, "I thank you for the kind sentiments, but I would rather our products speak for themselves."  
Dana spotted me from across the room and walked over with another customer in tow. When she wanted to be, Dana could be incredibly charming, often to the benefit of the company. She had a wonderful way with customers, playing off their prejudices and preconceptions so I could make the sale.  
I scanned the room for a second, catching the eye of Jerry, who seemed to be in deep conversation with another customer. He lifted his glass in a slight salute, signal that another sale was to be made.  
"Tanaka-san, enough of this business talk! We are here to have fun, ne? May I introduce you to my Human Resources Director, Miss Dana Anison."  
Dana picked up beautifully, taking his hand and warmly shaking it. "Kaitou-san, this is Yoshihiro-san. I believe you two have met before?"  
Smiling widely, I took the newcomer's hand and slapped him on the back, "Of course I know this man, Dana! How are you doing? How's the golf swing? I had hoped to see you at Pebble Beach this year."  
The man smiled and the audition started all over again. A few minutes of small talk, and then into the sale. It was proving to be a good night. After that, I gracefully exited the conversation to find a drink.  
"Champagne, sir?"  
I smiled and shook my head, "No thank you." As a simple pet peeve, I would not drink during a sale. There was simply too much to lose. However, I equally could not afford to be a distant host, so I opted for some apple cider in a champagne glass.  
There would time time enough for drinking later.  
  
Rei stood around nervously fiddling with her glass. No doubt about it, this was a high class affair. The imported French red in her hand proved that, along with the penguin clad businessmen milling around the area with their more colorful companions. In fact, she felt a bit put out, maybe even out classed.  
In a most unladylike fashion, she snorted angrily. Damnation, nobody outclassed her. Besides-  
"Hino-san!" Ryan walked over carrying what looked like a glass of champagne, "I was wondering when you would show!"  
Rei bowed slightly to the tall man, attempting to hide a grin, "I would not have missed this for all the world. Most unfortunately, I could not find a date for Miss Dana..."  
He waved it off, "Dana is busy enough, without a date. Anyway, I need you for a moment." Kaitou-san offered his arm.  
She took it with only the faintest hint of a blush, then started to redden in earnest as he led her to a d istinguished looking couple.  
"Rei-san, may I introduce you to MP Ishigaki?"  
Rei favored him with a dazzling smile, as she fought back a slight headiness. Ishigaki was the minister in charge of MITI, the most powerful scion of the Japanese government and progenitor of Japan's whirlwind economic growth. The parliament member was a prominent leader in his party and was a favorite for the prime ministership.  
All this of course begged a central question. Who the hell was her boss and how did he manage to get this sort of political pull?  
  
"Kaitou-san, you know some of the most interesting people."  
I smiled disarmingly, "I don't know what you're talking about."  
Rei smiled back, this time a little slyly, "I believe you do. You know exactly what I'm refering to."  
"Ah, you mean Ishigaki-san? He's an old friend from Stanford. He was the terror of the economics department while I was an undergraduate. He always knocked me down on term papers."  
"I see. An old boys network of sorts?"  
I looked her in the eye, "As with any great school, there is a tendency to help their own. Tokyo University, I am certain, has something very similar."  
Rei waved her hand, "The incredible network of golf players and glorified bean counters. I'm thrilled."  
I shrugged, "There is importance in all sorts of contacts. Such as overbearing, arrogant economics professors."  
Rei fought back a grin and I smiled in return. "I suppose its something I'll have to learn over time."  
"And learn it you will. At any rate, let's go meet some more people."  
She made a face, "Why? It's not like they're paying us."  
I chided her gently, "Even were that true, these people are going your closest contacts in the future. To jobs, to deals, to future beaus, etc."  
"I'm but a simple secretary."  
"And Peter Lynch was just a golf caddy."  
Rei held onto his arm, silent for a moment, "Do you really believe that?"  
"I believe that you're over qualified for the job that you currently have. But given the current job market, I can;t blame you for taking it. In America, you could find a job working for McKinsey or Citibank, I am certain. In Britain, Lloyds or Barclays."  
"I have a friend working for Barclays right now. Minako Aino?"  
I smiled, "I know her father professionally. Aino-san is a good man, though we've never been particularly close."  
"Wow. You do know everyone this is town."  
"I try my best." The tunes of a tango began to emanate from the bandstand on the stage. "Hino-san, do you dance?"  
Rei looked flustered, "I'm a little out of practice. MY friend Usagi taught me a long time ago."  
"Indulge a small whim. I'm sorely needing of some exercise."  
She smiled, but hesitated. "Alright, so long as you aren;t fresh."  
"And there goes my master plan."  
"Har har." I manuevered my hand to her waist, and she took up the standard ballroom position.  
When I had danced at Stanford, one of my instructors had commented that the waltz was a dance of love and that the tango was the dance of foreplay. It is an apt comparison.  
It mainly involves the man doing a few basic steps, while manuevering the woman around him in calculated slithers. It's wonderfully ego boosting.  
Yet, that night it was hardly my intent. I found Rei intriguing. It took a little nudging, but after a little while, she began to talk freely about herself, school, and lamentable lack of a love life.  
"You'd think that college would be a maturing experience."  
I snorted out a laugh, "In your fondest dreams. Men don't mature during college. They regress."  
"Now I know. Older guys are probably my only chance."  
I looked down sternly, "You shouldn;t be thinking like that, especially at your age. Have a bit of fun before getting married."  
"With yourself as an example?"  
"Well, celibacy does have its pluses."  
"Awww. I'm sure its not that bad."  
"Of course it isn't. Especially when I can spend the night at work. You should know how busy the next few months are."  
"Yes, I make your schedule, remember? Which reminds me...do I get stock options before the public offering?"  
"I know it's company policy to allow employees to devote up to 25 of pre-tax income to the purchase of shares before going public. But you need to look through your contract."  
"Hmm, something to ponder, I suppose. So...Kaitou-san, how do you like Japan?"  
I shrugged and smiled, "It's changed a bit since I last came."  
Rei twirled out of my reach for a moment, then returned, "How so?"  
"Come now Rei-san, you certainly see it. The bustle is gone, the everlasting optimism."  
"The job market?"  
"That's why I started my own business."  
"It is a bit easier in America."  
I laughed, "This is true." I stopped for a moment, "I think you would like it there."  
Rei giggled, "We should take a trip together."  
"Perhaps another time. We have much to do."  
"Yes, we do."  
  
"So can I get uproariously drunk right now?"  
Dana sank back into her chair in exhaustion, "Seventeen new clients. Even more who are willing to purchase upgrades. This is good."  
Rei look dubiously at her, "That's a pretty small number."  
I wagged my finger at her, "Technically, yes. But each of these clients has several hundred computers to install software on. Plus server technologies. Plus charges for customer service. We've got some good stuff coming out of the Skunk Works."  
Dana laughed, "Besides, we;ve got a lot of other product lines, especially for personal consumers."  
I pushed myself up and then searched the table for a bottle. The cleaning crew hadn't shown up and perhaps there would be a half filled bottle of something or other. "Would any of you girls like a drink? I think I've been sober all night and that simply cannot be."  
"You know, I'm beginning to think that you're an alcoholic, Ryan."  
"Well, there are two weaknesses that executives are allowed to have. Alcoholism and egotism. I plan to take full advantage of both. Ooh, whiskey! Let's see....oh, it's Japanese."  
Rei glared, "What's wrong with Japanese whiskey?"  
"Besides the low alcohol content, and plastic aftertaste? Hmm, a bottle of vodka. Russian. Much better. Anybody else want a drink?" 


	10. Chapter 10

-  
Chapter 10  
  
Trying to cure one bad habit with another bad habit is probably not a good thing. But, in the short term, cigarettes were far less malignant than drunken binges. Of course, the fact that I'm using them to cure a hangover is not promising for either habit.  
I smirked with dark humor. The tip of my cigarette burned bright in the darkness of my living room. I hadn't had much time to personalize the place. No pictures, no art work, nothing to say that anyone lived here, except a bed, a TV, and an office workspace. I drilled the cigarette out in a newly purchased ash tray and buried my head in my hands.  
At a certain intellectual level, I had known that I could not avoid my past forever. It catches up with everyone. Emotionally, however, things were far more muddied and now my past was nipping at my heels. I had woken up hours earlier with the dreadful premonition that a robbery would happen down the hall. Understandably curious, I had dressed and taken a walk in time enough to catch a man lockpicking the door to my neighbor's apartment. After roughing the criminal up a little bit and sending him off, I padded back to my apartment with the old feelings of situational awareness coursing through my veins.  
Although not comparable to the full range of detecting capabilities of Nephrite's stars, I had a low level magical awareness. It's a nice thing for melee combat and life, simultaneously preventing people from sneaking up on me, and foiling pranks of all sorts.  
In fact, it reminded me a little bit of a favorite Marvel superhero, though I don't bear much resemblance to a campy newspaper photographer nor a red and blue clad hero in a spider suit. Suddenly, every muscle in my body constricted and my mind snapped into razor sharp focus.  
Somewhere in the city, a youma was prowling the streets. Given the busy Tokyo nightlife, casualties might be high if the senshi didn't respond quickly. I grabbed my sword and dagger and then donned a black cape with a heavy pull-over hood.  
Flinging open the door to the terrace, I stepped outside to feel the cold air brush against my skin. Now technically, I can't fly. A small skill that I had avoided learning for the majority of my education. Of course, it is a crippling deficiency, especially when one lives in a very tall apartment building. However, there are ways around it.  
First focusing on a building ledge, I then leapt out off t he balcony. Telekinetically tethering myself to building, I swung past, gaining distance with each skyscrapper. How to find a monster. Follow the screams.  
  
Mamoru's eyes flashed open and they danced to each side. He stared up at the ceiling. Usagi was at her parents' house and he was left alone. Normally, he would have felt a little lonely. But now, he began to enjoy the solitude. To be certain, he loved Usagi with every fiber of his being, but paying attention to her, along with studying for medical school, was draining him of energy.  
But now sleep would not come. Mamoru sighed and sat up. There were times when even in the midst of his best friends, he felt utterly alone. He had beer buddies, sports buddies, and a good friend in Motoki. But there were days when he wished for a comrade to share his deepest thoughts with, even those he could not impart onto his lover.  
A dull throb pulsed in his forehead and it took him a minute to take note of it. He hadn't felt it since..."Kuso."  
  
Upon arriving on the scene, I spotted a grey armored figure swinging a long sword through a crowd of panicked people like a reaper through grain. Forgoing safety, I dove right on top of the youma, tackling it to the ground and allowed a few more victims to escape. I grinned idiotically as I sized up the situation.  
The armored monster was roughly humanoid in proportion and stature, although no human hyped up on steroids could reach the dangerous proportions of this behemoth. I didn't see a face, but I thought I caught the glimpse of two gleaming eyes in the confines of the helmet. In a single sweeping motion, the monster flung me into the air. I looked around desperately for purchase and grabbed onto a conveniently placed lightpost. I was jolted around a little bit, but I slowly slid to the bottom and took note of my situation.  
It was not especially promising. The enemy towered over me by at least two feet and outweighed me by about a ton and a half of raw hulking muscle. Additionally, he had the longer range of his sword and lest we forget, a set of full body armor for me to deal with. Not fun.  
With typical bravado however, I gave the monster a superior smile and wink, "Ugly, you picked the wrong guy to mess with."  
To my surprise, it answered back in a rumblingly deep voice, "Perhaps. But I would caution you, not to underestimate me." And with a speed that belied his large form, the attacker lunged at me with the outstretched long sword.  
I danced back a step, pulling free my own sword and parrying the blow. It would prove to be a long battle.  
  
Tuxedo Mask watched the battle with a mute interest. Although he had arrived too late to figure out who was the good guy and who the evil one, he had an inkling that the huge malevolent man-at-arms was probably the one to blame for the several civilian casualties. The paramedics hadn't arrived quite yet, but the med student's eye had told him that the few that were hurt badly would survive until help arrived.  
For now however, he took a unique interest in the hooded figure that held off the armored figure with consummate skill.  
  
Holding my sword low with both hands, I studied my enemy closely. Pound for pound, I suspected I was the better fighter. However, given the excessive weight advantage he had over me, he didn;t really need to be a qualitatively superior warrior to beat me into a pulp. The youma merely needed to swing.hard and-  
The long sword came around and jarred my grip on my weapon. I welcomed the clash as it brought me back to my senses. I had always been a good fencer, and my years at military academies had honed those skills well. Now, many years since I had last used a sword in battle, I felt the training come back.  
Disengaging quickly, I again studied my opponent, this time for weaknesses. Although big and fast, he was a massive target, easily targeted and sliced to pieces. Now to get through the armor.  
I pushed back the enemy, and then set into a classic position, with sword at my center of gravity and my feet spaced for both stability and flexibility. The attacker leapt into the air and brought the sword down in a cleaving motion.  
"Amateur." I sidestepped and whirled around, bringing my own blade in a smashing attack on his unprotected side. In a belated motion, the enemy twisted in mid air to block the blow, but I had already moved the other away, letting him land awkwardly on the ground. He twisted back to confront me, but I had already driven my sword deep into a joint in his thigh. The monster howled in pain and backed off awkwardly. In a quick sweeping motion, I hacked off its sword arm and then withdrew, this time to wait for blood loss and anemia to set in before I took another go at it.  
Sensing its terribly disadvantageous position, the youma looked around for some sort of salvation. As there was none to be found, the enemy lifted his remaining wrist slowly and spoke into it with a language I did not understand. A second later, the youma disappeared in an obvious teleportation.  
You know, I'm going to need to learn how to do that.  
  
The fighter lifted his sword in a strange salute and then sheathed it. He seemed to stare out into space for a moment, then turned to gaze directly at Tuxedo Mask. Mamoru backed up a step.  
There wasn't anyway for him to see, was there?  
  
I muttered quietly to myself, "I should have known. Alright, evasive manuevers."  
Instinctively, I turned into an alley, to avoid the surveillance above. Most unfortunately, as with many alleys, it ended in a dead end. "Alright. Time to be creative."  
I lifted a hand and whispered a half remembered spell. A wisp of smoke emanated from my outstretched palm and reached out to swirl around me. Light began to bend around my form, fulling cloaking myself from view. Slowly and carefully, I reached out telekinetically and began to scale the wall. After getting to the top, I saw Tuxedo Mask staring at the spot which I had just exited, then look around slowly. He knows I'm still here.  
Flight was my greatest ally and I ran quickly and leapt off the opposite edge. I turned a couple of random streets then entered a dark allyway. I dropped my cloaking magic and then doffed my hooded cape. I checked myself carefully for any revealing clues, then wrapped my cape around my sword, like a package. After I was done, I merely looked like the odd American on a Japanese street, carrying a bunch of curtain rods back home. After walking a couple of blocks, I saw a black figure soar over the building. 'He's a good tracker'  
Of course, that I should have expected. Endymion of Earth was one of the more accomplished hunters of his age with few beasts or a men able to shake his pursuit. However, an urban environment like Tokyo is infinitely more complex and varied than a forest or any reasonable hunting grounds.  
In a moment or two, I would be on a subway, underground and away from scrutiny. However to be sure I had shaken him, I would have to double back a couple of times and make my route back home circuitous and random. I got off on the next station and crossed over to a parallel train that would take me into the heart of Juuban and then back.  
  
Mamoru grimaced slightly, as he rode the subway back home. Very close, but not quite close enough. He had seen the out of place American walking out of a dark alley but hadn't taken notice until after he had entered the subway. The blond haired man had matched the hooded warrior's height a nd profile and was carrying a suspicious looking bundle in his h and.  
After transforming back to civilian status, he had entered the same subway station, only to see him board a filled train going towards the Ginza. But at the next station, he had lost the American, not knowing which of the many trains he might have taken to evade his pursuer. He was good. Too damn good if you asked Mamoru.  
Which meant that he knew he was being pursued, which was a feat in itself. Mamoru prided himself in having rather normal features, shared by most other Japanese. Once for fun, he had trailed Usagi all the way home from Tokyo U, never straying more than ten feet from her without her ever having picked up on his presence.  
It was a vexing problem, but one whose solution could wait. The stranger didn't seem to be a bad guy, especially with his concern for civilian casualties. However, it was something new and unexpected and merited some sort of response. Mamoru's frown deepened. And he had exams coming up next week. No time to deal with anything it seems.  
  
I wiped a quivering hand across my forehead as I reached my apartment. That was far too close. Tuxedo Mask had indeed managed to follow me through several train switches, and only by getting out of the subway itself and walking several blocks to the next subway station did I manage to shake him in the dark streets.  
Not my idea of fun. But a grim smile of satisfaction creased my mouth. My sword had been blooded, as had been my much atrophied evasion and counter surveillance skills. For a quick fix, it wasn't actually a bad one. I would outmatch the youma in the present, and work towards stopping their entry in the future. For now, I had an early day on the morrow and I needed sleep. 


	11. Chapter 11

-  
Chapter 11  
  
I had barely lit the cigarette and lifted it to my mouth, when Rei walked in, plucked it away from me and drilled it into the ashtray.  
"What the hell was that for?"  
"They're bad for you, Ryan. Besides it's barely morning." The sun streamed down on her from my wide window walls, highlighting her raven black hair.  
I leaned back in my chair, "You're not fun, you know that?"  
Rei looked at me with an amused smile, then plopped down a bunch of papers, "Reports for you to read."  
"Right," I flipped open the cover of one and scanned it quickly, "I see Mr. Softie isn't flexing its muscles that much anymore."  
"Does Bill Gates really need to? He is the richest man in t he world."  
"True, but I never thought him the type to pass up on some profit."  
"Perhaps not, but I think that he's also not the type to get outside his area of particular expertise."  
"Also true," I scanned he sumary of another report, "What are you doing for lunch?"  
"Nothing, why?"  
"You wanna get something? My treat."  
Rei smiled, "Food is always good. Where though?"  
"You choose this time. I'm still not great with the restaurants around here."  
She tapped a pencil against her chin, "Well, there's a nice hangout that my friends and I used to like, especially during my school days. It's got great food and it's a nice atmosphere, although a tad noisy."  
"Where is it?"  
"Juuban. I actually don't know if its still there."  
"Well, let's take a look. What's its name?"  
"The Crown Arcade Cafe."  
  
To Rei's eyes, the place had hardly changed. Of course, the counter help wasn't Motoki anymore, but some young kid who looked at her appraisingly then with dismay at her companion. Ryan grinned rakishly and gestured to a corner booth.  
"Sounds good."  
They took their seats and pulled out the menus conveniently placed on a little rack next to the table.  
"How does a hamburger sound?"  
Ryan smirked, "It's an integral part of my diet. I've been deprived here."  
"Well, as I remember, they're pretty good."  
Her boss leaned back easily, "That's all I ask for. So, now that you've been with the company for a couple of weeks, what do you think so far?"  
Rei blushed slightly, "What do you mean, Ryan?"  
He grinned and leaned forward, "I interviewed you, so I know what I think of you. I want to know what you truly think of me and my company."  
She stared at him for a moment. Perhaps it was an interogation tactic, to draw out dissention? But that would not fit with the generally tolerant atmosphere that pervaded his management style. Perhaps honesty would be the best tactic.  
"As this is my first secretarial job, I don;t have a frame of comparison. I do enjoy working with you a lot. The pay is above average for Japan and the work is much more interesting than what I've heard my friends are doing."  
"Your friend Minako is an analyst, I believe?"  
"She will be after graduation, with the 90 hour weeks and face time no less. Usagi will be pursuing grad school, Mako is a chef, and Ami is in biotechnology."  
"Really? I've had some thoughts about biotechnology. It's a very difficult business to go into." I hesitated for a moment, "They sound like wonderful people. Someday, I would like to meet them."  
Rei smiled at him, "I think that can be arranged someday. I think I would like for you to meet them."  
Ryan looked down, as if slightly embarrassed, then signalled to the waiter.  
  
"Cheeseburger, sauted onions and mushrooms. Order of curly fries. And a cherry coke. How about you Rei?"  
Rei scanned the menu, "A small salad and a chicken sandwich."  
I grinned at her, "Keeping your girlish figure?"  
Rei wiggled a bit and then settled into her seat, "Should I get fat, I think it will be difficult for me to get a husband."  
Gallantly, "I don;t think you're going to have too much trouble with that. If you do, give me a call."  
She winked, "Ah, is the good sir suggesting I commit an indiscretion?"  
I flushed slightly, but covered it with a careful smile, "I am joking of course."  
Rei smirked, "Perhaps."  
I raised my drink in a salute, "In any case, we have some time. What would you like to talk about?"  
She lifted her eyebrows in a silent question, "Well, I have always been curious about America. I'd like to know what combination of environment and genetic stock made you all the way that you are?"  
I smiled innocently, "What ever could you mean by that?"  
"Certainly you know what I speak of, Kaitou-san. The headstrong insistence-"  
"That, with enough determination, I could drive my head through a concrete wall?"  
She blushed, "Something like that."  
I relaxed for a moment. Though having only lived there for a relatively short time, I had come to love California and the country that surrounded it. On a whim, a former college girlfriend and I had taken a roadtrip to New York, seeing the historical sites of America. There was a sort of lusty elegance to it all. Silver Millenium it was not, but perhaps something even better. It was with great pride that I forged my American citizenship papers. "It's a nice place."  
This time, sarcasm dripped papably from her words, "Really."  
I mock glared at her, "Hey, you had plenty of chances to go over there. But no, you make me come over here! Sheesh woman, what's up with that?"  
"What happened to chivalry?"  
"It died before you or I were ever born."  
Rei folded her arms, "But seriously, what's with you Americans? You're the first one I've ever gotten to know really well."  
I smirked, "Lucky me. To deal with your second point, Americans are a mongrel country. You know, America for many years took the dregs of other societies. So genetically, we're probably pretty average."  
"You're not average." A statement of fact.  
"But I am what every American wants to be. Prosperous, independent," I turned my head in profile, "Regally handsome."  
"Egocentric, megalomaniacal."  
"Exactly. We're a bunch of arrogant, independent mules."  
Rei smiled, "It worked."  
"It worked indeed." My phone rang and I waved Rei to silence. "Hello?"  
"Mr. Kaitou, this is Dan from The Blackstone Group."  
I beamed, "Dan, what a pleasant surprise! How's your father doing?"  
"Great, sir. He's still playing the stock market, and he says he's eagerly awaiting the day you decide to go public. He figures he can make a killing."  
I laughed, "Tell him he's rich enough already. He should take up squash like in the old days."  
Dan chuckled, "He has been playing squash. He's still smarting from that faculty-student match you set up and wants a rematch. Anyway, I called to tell you that I've been assigned to your case. I'll be working with you to facilitate the public offering."  
"Great! I'm glad you're on it. Someone I can trust!"  
"When can you fly out? I'd like to meet with you personally."  
"Actually, I'm due for a break soon anyway. I can fly out in a day or two and we can talk. And I want to take your dad out to lunch. We can reminisce about the old days."  
"I am looking forward to it, sir."  
I closed the phone and beamed at Rei, "We may get our funding."  
"That's great. What will we be doing with it?"  
"Wet bars and martinis for all. We've gone long enough having to pay for our own drunken revelery. It'll be nice to have someone else foot the bill."  
The meal ended casually, with small talk intermingled with business chatter. Rei commented about some minor issues in the sales department and I decided to look up Jerry when I got back. He would have to deal with these things. Also, I would have to suggest Steve Chalmers to the board. Damn, I had better book those tickets. It's going to be a busy few weeks.  
  
Five women sat around a table. Ami began the conversation, "So, I've heard...and please correct me if I'm wrong...that Rei is involved with someone. I've been out of the country, but could someone please verify the truthfulness of that claim?"  
Rei turned crimson, but before she could speak, Minako chimed in, "And he's HOT. And rich. And popular. And foreign. And he's got a tan."  
"He's my boss, not boyfriend!"  
Usagi waved that comment away, "It's a single degree of separation."  
Makoto grinned at Ami, "She even has dates with him on a regular basis."  
Rei lifted her hand, signalling surrender to their jibes. "Fine, fine. Laugh all you want. I have my job, and I'm happy about that."  
Ami inquired softly, "I haven;t seen since I've gotten back, so I'm a bit in the dark. What are you doing?"  
Minako, ever helpful, chimed in, "She's an executive assistant for the hot guy!"  
"I'm his secretary, while I look for a better job."  
The blue haired girl smiled and replied simply, "I know how it is. Job hunting is a terrible, terrible thing. I was lucky to get the job that I have."  
Makoto looked shocked, "My dearest Ami-chan, worried about the job market? God forbid her incredible grades and unbelievable test scores bar her from employment! Perhaps it is her winning personality that prevents her from work!"  
To change the subject, Usagi interjected, "Where are you working, anyway?"  
"I'm current part of Amgen's internship program." Wryly, "Since I know Japanese, they wanted me here to learn the ins and outs of the Health Ministry. Not quite what I had in mind, but research jobs don;t go to undergraduates immediately."  
"Hey, a job is a job. Who knows, you may grow to love it." Minako took a sip of wine and assumed her usual leadership role, "Anyway, I hate to break up a wonderful conversation, but we've got some things to deal with. Why are youma popping up again?"  
Ami looked up in alarm, "What?"  
Rei nodded grimly, "I faced one at work a couple of weeks ago. It came into the building and starting smashing up the lobby. My boss went down to start evacuating people from the first floor, and barely escaped with his life. Anyway, it didn't seem on capturing energy or heart crystals or anything quite like that."  
Rei paused for a moment and shivered, "When I touched its mind, I could only feel a tightly wound ball of hate and destruction."  
Usagi sighed, "Mamoru faced another one a few nights back. It caused a couple of casualties before retreating. There's something bad going on."  
Makoto rubbed her eyes, "I knew I should have stayed in France."  
Minako glared at her.  
Mako laughed nervously, "Just kidding. So what do we do?"  
Ami coughed, "I want locations for all the youma attacks. I want to run some quick tests around the areas, perhaps identifying some weaknesses in the dimensions."  
Rei leaned back, "I've already started divinations, but I haven't gotten anything."  
Minako turned to Usagi, "Princess, I believe we should call in the Outer Senshi in on this. We need all the manpower we can get, and from the looks of it, this is going to be a dirty war. They have more experience fighting them than we do."  
Usagi, upon hearing her proper title, straightened and looked deep in thought, "No, not yet. I believe we ought to wait until we can figure out what we are facing before calling more people away from their lives. I will, however, keep that under advisement."  
Minako bowed her head slightly, "Yes, Princess." 


	12. Chapter 12

-  
Chapter 12  
  
I was also messing around with strategy. On the computer, I had a map of Tokyo, plotting recent youma attacks. Only two so far, but still I searched for some sort of pattern to their madness.  
Straining, I attempted to recall the way that I had planned my assaults into Tokyo. They probably wouldn't be using my exact strategy, but perhaps I could glean some insight from it. For hours, I planned attacks in and out of the city, only to come up with a multitude of targets and times that no army could cover. I sighed and rubbed my eyes. "This is getting nowhere."  
The clock beeped 11:30 PM and I slowly stood up to stretch my muscles. I felt a quiet pop and then, for no particular reason, examined my arms and hands. Too many thoughts were loose in my mind and I had to get a reign on them somehow.  
I looked to the minibar, but rejected that route quickly. I ran a hand through my tousled hair and then looked to the closet. I donned my hunting uniform and leapt out the window. I could not find my salvation at the bottom of a bottle. Perhaps it would find me in the streets.  
  
Rei passed her hand over the sacred fire and then chanted a few words. The flame roiled with increased intensity for a moment, then subsided. She sighed in exasperation. Still nothing. Maybe if she-  
Suddenly, the flame sparked up to even higher height, burning with an intensity that she had never witnessed before. Rei stared at it intently, then grabbed her communicator. "Is anybody on the network? Anybody? Please respond."  
A deep voice responded irritably, "Rei? What's going on?"  
"Mamoru? Why are you on Usagi's communicator?"  
"She's staying at her parent's again and forgot to take it with her."  
"Figures. Odango atama strikes again."  
Mamoru laughed slowly, "So, back to the original question, what's going on?"  
"I think someone is prowling around Tokyo. Someone...or something pretty powerful."  
"Are you sure it's not one of the other senshi?"  
Annoyed, "Look, I've been doing this for a while and I think I know what my friends look like. This is very different."  
Mamoru hissed in exasperation, "Alright, I'll head out. I'll keep Usagi's communicator with me, so I can update you as necessary."  
"Where should I meet you?"  
"Don;t bother. If he's as powerful as you think, he's probably going to notice if people are all over the place looking for him. I'll go alone. You stay in the shrine and update me as much as you can to his location and heading."  
Rei nodded, "Will do. Good luck and be safe."  
  
I soared above the buildings, using telekinesis to hold myself in the air. In a way, it was a refreshing feeling. Although quite cold, the night was wonderful clear and I could see the city at my feet. I landed lightly on top of one and leaned back to stare at the stars.  
It had been a long time since I had taken a true vacation, and probably would be a long time until I had another one. 'But the first chance I get'  
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as I suddenly felt someone watching me. My eyes opened and I slowly scanned the horizon. Fortunately, the bright lights of Tokyo still made it easy to spot things that stood out...and there he was.  
He was half hidden behind a skyscraper, obviously spying on me. I squinted a little bit, and then made out the distinctive red of Tuxedo Mask's cape lining. I smirked. He obviously didn;t know that I could see him. You've no doubt some to find out who I am, perhaps even to test my skills against your own. 'Let me give you a demonstration'  
I immediately turned to run the other way, towards the center of the city.  
  
Mamoru spoke into the communicator, "He's moving! Damn he's fast."  
Rei answered back dryly, "I can see that. I don;t think he's aware of my presence yet. He's not masking his energy signature at all."  
"Right, have you gotten ahold of anyone else?"  
"Haven't tried lately. Lemme see."  
There was a pause for a moment, then the precise, clipped tones of Ami Mizuno came onto the line, "I've linked my computer to a map of Tokyo. Rei can tell me what direction he's going, and I can plot that. All I need is his current location, and I think i can give you up to date locations and directional patterns."  
Mamoru dove faster after his elusive prey, "We're somewhere near the center of the city." He dodged around a skyscrapper and then rattled off an address. "Hurry, I don't know how long I can keep up with him."  
  
I focused on an outcropping and found myself making a hard midair right turn down a narrow city alleyway. The sheer concrete walls on both sides left little room for error. I turned my head slightly to see a caped figure turn and follow me.  
I laughed out loud and then twisted in mid air until I faced him. I focused again on a building behind him, and then abruptly jolted to a stop before rocketing back past Tuxedo Mask. He seemed stunned for a moment and then turned around to pursue me.  
  
Mamoru's expletives filled the air as Ami tried to supply directions and locations. "Okay, he's doubling back past the park. I think you can cut him off at...no wait, he's changing directions again. Back towards you."  
He lowered his gaze, "I see him. I can;t keep up with this guy, so what should I do?"  
Rei bit her lip, "Can you down him with a rose? Without hurting him, I mean."  
"Well, yes...but they're offensive weapons. I may miss."  
Ami hissed softly, "It's up to you, but I think you should do it."  
Mamoru took a deep breath, "Alright."  
In a lightning quick movement, Mamoru pulled out a rose and hurled it at the cloaked figure hurtling towards him.  
Time seemed to slow as a dagger appeared in the figure's hand. The dagger intercepted the rose in midflight, chopping it in half and deflecting it away from his body.  
And just like that, the chase was over. The prey was simply too fast to be caught. "Okay guys, I'm giving it up. There's no way I can catch him."  
A sigh of exasperation, "Alright, we'll have to find some other way of getting to him. Thanks anyway."  
"Besides, I don;t think he's the evil type. He sliced up my rose pretty good, but left me alone."  
"We've got to be cautious anyway. Things are starting to get weird around here."  
  
I downed a cup of coffee and winced as it burned down my throat.  
"You gotta watch that boss." Dana sipped her own coffee demurely and turned to gaze at the clock. It was 6:00 AM in the morning and the work day was already in full swing.  
Dana flipped through a pile of personnel reports, marking each one. She had taken easily to her new job, although still crippled by language deficiencies. That would be mended with time. "So how's Rei doing?"  
"She likes her job, but I think she wants more."  
Dana smiled coyly, "More?"  
"Not that, you sicko. She should be working as a consultant or an investment banker."  
Dana shrugged, "That's the job market for you. The same thing happened with me."  
"I know...it just seems like a damned waste."  
"Tell me about it." Dana continued to mark her reports. "You know, you never told me about Rei. You two seem to get along well enough."  
Dammit. "I thought we had a deal."  
"Well, I'm curious. And now that you two get along so well, I just want to know."  
The room was silent for a moment, "I don't think I can tell you. Not yet."  
She shrugged, "You and your secrets. Sometimes I think you're holding out on me."  
I smirked and then moved to change the subject, "So how are you doing?"  
"Fine, dodge the question. Anyway, there's a really, really cute Chinese guy living next to me."  
I lifted an eyebrow, "High tolerance for pain right?"  
"Shut up. He's working for Morgan Stanley right now, so he has pretty odd hours."  
"So has he asked you out or are you courting him from afar?"  
Dana threw a pencil at me, "We're actually going to dinner tonight. If you want, you can join us."  
I shook my head, "No thanks, I've got to pack for tomorrow. I'll be meeting with Dan from Blackstone to discuss the public offering."  
"How much do you think they'll charge?"  
"Probably ten percent. Not great, but we're pretty high risk to them still."  
"Bastards. Oh well."  
"We'll survive. We need that cash. It'll be nice to have some manuevering room."  
  
"Kaitou-san?"  
I looked up at Rei, "Hai?"  
"When did you get this?" She traced a finger along my forearm, below my rolled up sleeve.  
It was a souvenier from the previous night, as a shard of deflected rose had scratched me pretty badly, leaving a long, thin scar. "Just an accident last night. Clumsy me."  
She winced in sympathy, "It must have hurt."  
I laughed, "I've been through much worse. It was pretty bloody, but mainly superficial. I don't worry about it."  
Rei pointed to its long, straight shape, "I've never seen a scar quite like that. How'd you get it?"  
I lied easily, "Funny story at that. I was hanging some pictures and all of a sudden, I trip over my own feet. Now, while I'm trying to grab something, the nail that I had just hammered into the wall got a little more of me than I would want. End of story, I washed it off and so far it seems to be healing pretty quickly."  
She smiled wryly, "So no hidden self mutilation? The stress of being a corporate leader too much for you?"  
I leaned back languidly, "Could you mutilate this perfect body? It would be a crime against humanity and females everywhere."  
Rei smirked, "Indeed it would, sir. Okay, you need to go over these profit reports before your executive cram session today."  
"Right. Oh, could you book a flight for me?"  
She looked up, "Can I come?"  
I laughed softly, "Unfortunately, you can't this time. You have to keep this company running. I'll be in California for three or four days."  
"You're leaving me alone? What a horrible fate."  
I took the reports from her, "The next week is pretty uneventful. In fact, today is pretty clear. You want an early day off?"  
"Am I salaried or am I paid hourly?"  
"Didn't you read your contract at all?"  
For the first time in our association, she looked sheepish, "Not really. People told me to sign on the dotted line. I did. I remember seeing something about the severance payment."  
I sighed, "You free next weekend?"  
"Yes, why?"  
"I've got a golf game with a couple of business partners."  
"So?"  
I grinned, "I've learned that pretty girls tend to addle the minds of the most calculating of men."  
Rei planted her hands at her side, "You can't be serious."  
"Unlike most of the time, I am completely serious this time. I hate to say it, but business is a men's world. Use what advantages you have to win."  
"But doesn't that reinforce their beliefs?"  
I shrugged, "People listen to power. If you have the power, they will listen, whoever you are."  
"Couldn't you volunteer Dana for this?"  
"She's already in a position of power. Dana's already routed a bunch of very talented people to them for middle and upper management. They value and respect her now as a colleague. It's a very far cry from even several months ago."  
A cheshire grin creased my face, "Besides, men will talk in front of you occasionally without thinking. It's been a most effective method of getting the information I need."  
Rei sighed, "I'll need an advance to buy clubs and stuff."  
"Ask Dana about it. She'll get you through payroll quickly."  
"Good. I'll see you in a bit." 


	13. Chapter 13

-  
Chapter 13  
  
"Okay, glad to see you all here. Let's get started. Clark, if you would be so kind."  
My Chief Financial Officer stood up, "If you would all, turn to the first page of your packet, you will see this year's unaudited financial statement."  
Though interested in the wellbeing of my company, my mind began to wander. Absentmindedly, I took some cursory notes. The company was in excellent shape. Capital expenditures were up signifcantly and the cash supply was taking the hit. Things were going well.  
I watched as the other vice presidents engaged in a collegial discussion on how to cut costs. The cost of the current revenue streams had gone up significantly, cutting into our profit margins. It wasn;t really a crisis, but something to avoid if possible.  
It was a boring meeting, but those are not to be avoided, but cherished. It means nothing is going wrong, and god knows that things go wrong enough on their own.  
  
Before leaving work at 8:00 PM, Rei rifled through Ryan desk. She sifted through several layers of paper and after a moment, found what she was looking for. Rei pocketed the cigarettes and then went to grab her purse.  
She flipped her celly on and called several friends. Eventually Ami picked up, "Ami, can you pick me up?"  
"Sure, got nothing better to do."  
"Gee thanks."  
Ami laughed, "I'll be there in five. How are you for school work?"  
"Nothing big. Tests aren't for a while, you know."  
"Cool. Mamoru wants to meet you for dinner."  
"Usagi going to be there?"  
"No, she's busy tonight."  
Rei sounded puzzled, "Why me?"  
"Mina told him about how you managed to contact this guy several months ago. He wants your impressions."  
"Right...great...okay. Where and when?"  
  
"Damn her."  
"What did she do now?"  
I swore feelingly, "She took my goddamn cigarettes."  
"They're bad for you. Come on, I'll drive you home."  
"No, I've got my car here."  
"Alright," Dana smiled, "Don't drink yourself silly now."  
"What else would I do with my spare time?"  
"You should take up dating."  
I sighed, "Why bother? Golddiggers all."  
"Women aren't all evil. Besides you could pretend that you're broke, " Dana clapped her hands together, "And if you get a girlfriend, we could double date! Wouldn;t that be exciting?"  
I grimaced, "I'm not sure what I did, but I'm certain I don;t deserve this."  
Dana looked frank, "Look, I'll make some calls, and I can set you up with somebody in my complex. You won't have to spend the night alone."  
"Well, I'm not one to deny an offer for free sex, but I've got some moral problems with one night stands."  
"Don't be so dirty. Just some partnership for dinner. How about it?"  
  
She was short, blond, and pretty. After about thirty minutes of dinner, I wanted to strangle her. She nattered on idiotically about everything under the sun. I could feel my mind imploding under the pressure. Dana shot me a look of pure sympathy.  
"So you, uh, work with Dana?"  
I poked at my salad and then carved up a piece of romaine lettuce, "I do. I hired her."  
Dana's date, named Andy, grinned, "Good taste."  
I tended to like this guy, "Dana tells me you're from California."  
"Bay area kid, through and through. I went back East for college and after New York I went to business school and then was sent here."  
"Where for college?"  
"Williams College. Heard of it?"  
I smiled, "I've heard something about that. I believe the average Williams student is termed an athlete, scholar, and investment banker? You've certainly taken to that last role well."  
The graduate of Williams and Harvard smiled in appreciation. I turned my attention to my own date, who was chatting it up with Dana. In the way that women do, they whispered and exchanged comments in ways which men could never understand.  
I smiled charmingly and my date immediately turned her attention to me, "So how do you know Dana?"  
Patiently, I repeated, "I work with her."  
"Oh that's right, I almost forgot. So how's business?"  
Dana flashed me another subtle pitying glance before I answered, "Pretty good. I think that we're doing things rather well."  
Dana laughed, "Of course, he wouldn't be one to criticize his own business."  
My date looked a little confused, "I suppose that's right."  
This is depressing.  
  
Mamoru, for the first time in a very long time, looked worried. Rei and Ami both took their seats. He tried to smile, "Glad you came."  
Rei grinned back, "What's up?"  
"First, let's order. I'm starved."  
Ami tapped the keys on her computer, conveniently disguised as a palm top computer. Without looking up, "Sounds fine."  
It was silent for a moment and the waiter arrived to take the orders. After he left, Ami set down her computer, "I saved his path through the city, even after you stopped pursuing him. At some point, I think he began to realize that he was being tracked."  
Rei spoke in low tones, "His pattern faded out about five minutes after you stopped chasing him."  
"His pattern was pretty random before that, " Ami tapped a couple more keys, "But I think that I have a general location for where he lives." A four by four square of blocks lit up.  
Mamoru brushed an errant lock of hair back over his head, "It's better than nothing. But not much. Dammit."  
Rei shook her head, "Tell me about it. On top of work and school, this is just too much."  
"What were your impressions, Rei?"  
Slowly, "He's not evil. I know that for certain. And, while I am not completely sure, I do think that I have contacted him before. That time, he seemed......so anguished. Like something was eating him up from inside," She shivered, "And one more thing...he was familiar. I can't really place him."  
"Speculations as to who he is?"  
Ami folded her computer away, "Process of elimination. Old enemies? It's a he...so I don't think it was any of our more recent enemies. So who does that leave? Ail?"  
Rei frowned, "He's gone, and I think he would contact us directly."  
"Nemesis?"  
Mamoru tapped his fingers together, "All dead. I made sure of that."  
"Which leaves two choices. Dark Kingdom and someone completely new. I tend to believe the latter."  
Rei nodded, "Makes sense. All the Dark Kingdom generals were killed, right?"  
Ami waggled a finger, "Actually, we only saw three of them die. The first one retreated remember?"  
Rei tossed that off, "Look, we all know Beryl. She didn't tolerate failure too well. Besides wouldn't have replaced him had he not died."  
"So he's out too."  
Mamoru rubbed his eyes tiredly, "Right. Damn. That leaves an unknown. But that's contradictory."  
Ami looked annoyed, "We need more information. Minako was right, I think we should bring Haruka and Michiru into this. They have a little more experience in tracking than we do."  
Rei shook her head, "I agree with Usagi. It's not worth it, taking them away from their lives. We can handle the youma problem, and this guy isn't causing harm. We can't stalk him just because we want to know who he is."  
The man sighed, "I think Ami may be right. We could use the extra manpower. And we can;t rule out this being the precursor to a larger youma assault. Even if we don;t go after him, we could use them in covering the city more effectively."  
  
A phone call had saved me and I ditched dinner for an early West Coast morning conference call. I sat in my bed room, tossing clothes into my suitcase as I spoke with the venture team which had supplied us with a midstage five million dollar equity fund. When the stock offering went through, they would likely sell the twenty percent of common stock that they owned at an obscene profit. Damn them.  
But as long as they controlled that twenty percent, and held a seat on the board, I would listen to and address their concerns. This time, they had questions about the common stock offering, and I repeatedly reassured them that everything would go as planned.  
Maybe after this, I'll join a venture capital firm. It's gotta be easier than this.  
Yes, everything would be fine. Our fundamentals were good, and the offering in several months would go well. Blah blah blah.  
When they finally hung up, I rubbed my eyes. It was one o'clock in the morning for me. 'Probably around eleven AM over there. Damn them again'  
Tiredly, I realized that I had a full wardrobe back in california. I tossed the suit case aside and collapsed onto the bed. It was the first time that I passed out without alcohol to aid me. 


	14. Chapter 14

-  
Chapter 14  
  
I purchased a pack of cigs at the airport, opting for Marlboro this time. They tended to be rather soothing, or at least as soothing as inhaling exhaust can be. 'Maybe I could wear one of those patches'  
I waited in the first class lounge, wishing that I were sleeping. The view outside was quite wonderful, and the room itself was very very quiet, with only a few strained tunes of Muzak to be heard. At this early hour, I was the only one there, save for a kind lady who worked the built in bar.  
And so, there I sat, a gin martini in one hand, and a cigarette in the other. I felt very James Bondish, but I didn't have a hot girl next to me. Which I could deal with for the time being.  
It gave me a little time to think. Times had been a little lonely, ever since. Freedom was a confusing experience. My knowledge of root Terran languages made it simple for me to learn English, but there still remained the problem of creating an entire identity for myself in the strange world.  
Back when I was part of the Dark Kingdom, I had created several fake identities for myself so that I might understand the world which I was to rule in part. I had managed to forge birth certificates and social security accounts, enabling myself to obtain a California ID and through that higher forms of documentation. Variably aged identities enabled me to pick and choose. The youngest identity had been one I'd used throughout my few trips to earth. He was impossibly bland, the type of person that you could see one minute and forget the next. It was from him which I inherited the pseudonym, Ryan Kaitou.  
Additionally, I had salted modest amounts of money into index funds and bank accounts, and treasury bonds throughout the world under the same identities. Understanding the world financial network had been an area of interest to me throughout the planning stages of Beryl's invasion and I applied myself readily.  
Those funds had seen me through Stanford, along with creative accounting on the financial aid application. And after college, I was a working citizen of the United States, free of all obligations.  
And a considerable amount of money in the bank. I grinned to myself. 'Things could be far worse. I could be decorating a slab in a mausoleum'  
The call for my flight finally came and I dutifully picked up my briefcase. Time to go.  
  
With the boss gone, life was kinda boring. Rei flipped through a couple pages of the Financial Times and then made some errands to other parts of the building.  
The new furniture orders had been messed up and it took several rounds of calls to the manufacturer and the shippers to make sure that they hadn;t been routed by mistake to Tajikistan.  
And then she waited. "Stupid slow days."  
At around one, Dana came to visit, to tell her that her payroll request had gone through the system and that she should be recieving the check the next day.  
After a little while, Rei began rummaging through her desk for her CD case. Perhaps something American today.... She selected an older Amy Grant. It wasn't too pop band, and it had a tune and a rhythm. Rei could live with that.  
The CD ran for a bit before her communicator beeped. Rei flipped it open, expecting to see Minako or another inner senshi. Instead, she saw the smiling, almost masculine face of Haruka staring back at her.  
"They told me you might be working. I had to see it for myself."  
Rei grinned, "Most of us have to get actual jobs. See if I could drive in a circle for hours on end and get paid for it, I'd do it too."  
"Zing. They told me you were the most grown up inner senshi. Has our entire relationship been a lie?"  
Rei ignored the remark and returned with one of her own, "Is this going anywhere or did you get bored with annoying Michiru?"  
A smooth voice came from off screen, "Stop it you two." The screen jittered for a moment, "Rei-san?"  
"Hello, Michiru. Have you been keeping Haruka on a short leash lately or will I need to call animal control?"  
"I heard that!"  
Michiru ignored both of them, "Actually, we were wondering if it would be possible for someone to come pick us up at the airport."  
"You're coming in? When?"  
"Later tonight. We're currently sitting in an airport in Alaska. Our plane landed with some engine trouble, we're actually a bit later than we expected to be."  
"I see. Where's Hotaru-chan?"  
The screen re-angled to Hotaru who waved quickly. "Hello, Rei-chan! How are you doing?"  
Rei smiled warmly, "I'm doing okay. How are you doing?"  
"I'm doing well! Michiru-mama is teaching me how to play the violin!"  
"Really? That's wonderful. I'll see you when you get back, okay? Let me talk to your Michi-san."  
When Michiru reappeared, Rei said, "I can pick you guys up after work. Is that okay?"  
"Sounds fine. We'll be coming in at around 8:30 PM. I'd love to know how your life is going."  
Rei confirmed, "We'll have much to chat about! Later you two."  
  
I caught a taxi, and headed home to change before a late dinner with Dan and his father. It would be in a vineyard in Napa, so a pretty long drive.  
Unless you drive like I do. The porsche sped along the highway at a very, very illegal 100 miles per hour. The radar tracker on my car didn't beep for the entire time, and I made record time to the restaurant.  
Before I entered, I quickly checked myself for pieces of lint, grass, or weed burrs. I was business casual today, but even business casual for me needs to look immaculate.  
As I opened the door, a dry, warm wind washed over me. The maitre'd nodded to me, "Ah, you must be Mr. Kaitou. Mr. Jamison notified me of your coming. Please follow me."  
I nodded seriously and followed him to the far end of the restaurant. Professor Jamison waved and then stood up to shake my hand, "Ryan, how are you doing you old sonuvagun?"  
I laughed, "You could not have possibly known either of my parents, Professor. You are looking well. How have you been?"  
He motioned for me to sit, "Reading stories about your company, Ryan. You've got an impressive operation going. Wall Street is salivating over the offering."  
Politely, I replied, "Believe me, it was more luck than anything else."  
The professor, one of the chief consultants on the Enron and Tyco scandals, shrugged, "Perhaps they're impressed with your corporate governance. I, too, tend to like CEOs who accept their mistakes instead of covering them up."  
"I have had the good fortune of being lucky much of the time."  
"I'll take good luck over skill any day of the week."  
I smiled in appreciation and then turned to Dan, "I'm glad see you decided not to follow your father into academics."  
Dan grinned, "I guess that it wasn't cut out for me. Of course, I don't think that it was cut out for him either."  
"Indeed! From what I've seen, your father spends more time in the boardroom nowadays than in the classroom."  
"Hey, I still love teaching."  
I grinned, "I'm sure you do. As a hobby. So Dan, how's Blackstone?"  
"Pretty tough. Face time is pretty hellish, but I do get to work interesting cases. I requested yours in fact."  
"I'm glad my company is in good hands."  
Dan shrugged, "We'll see from results."  
"That we will." I called over a waiter, "I think we're ready to order."  
After selecting our entrees, Professor Jamison set his elbows down on the table, "So how are you finding Japan, Ryan?"  
"The weather seems to agree with me, although the humidity is a little much."  
"You're too much of a Californian, Ryan."  
"If I had my choice, I would have stayed."  
"Really? The board decide to get pissy about it?"  
"I think that they're taking a gamble on Japanese land prices. You know they've been in a recession for a while."  
"Right, but I thought that they were over inflated still."  
I shrugged, "I'm not an expert on land value, so I would not know. I just run the business. The majority of our sales do come from Japan though. Which may also have something to do with it."  
"Hmm, an interesting quandary."  
I grinned, "Don't concern yourself with it. But let's get down to brass tacks, shall we? Dan, you said you wanted to meet with me. Here I am."  
"Well, sir, I think taking your company public will be fairly easy. I just wanted you to sign some forms, and then we can get started on the process."  
"I'll definitely keep in touch. I'll put you in contact with the CFO and a couple of the VPs and department directors. I will instruct them to give you the information that you need."  
"Excellent. We can work the details out tomorrow at the office. I won't take up too much of your time."  
I soaked a piece of peasant bread into olive oil and balsalmic vinegar, "Think nothing of it! I am here for as long as I need to be. I don;t even have a return flight yet. Whatever questions you have, please ask me."  
Dan grinned, "Great! Come by the office and we can work things out."  
I nodded and the meal continued on happily.  
  
Haruka stretched her arms and legs out. A naturally tall and lanky person, she needed to be in constant motion. Michiru, on the other hand, cut a far more elegant pose. She smoothed out the wrinkles on her skirt with casual ease and then shouldered her purse before making sure Hotaru was alright.  
The senshi of destruction was a small, delicate teenager that resembled neither her adopted mother or father. Her time in an American high school had changed her for the better. To Michiru's chagrin, it had steered Hotaru more towards her 'papa's' mindset of rugged individualism and disregard for societal mores.  
But, as Michiru reflected with a gentle smile, it wasn't really all that bad. Hotaru had changed, probably for the better, and for that she was glad. Now, after her long hiatus, she was looking forward to seeing all her younger friends. They had all come back to witness the graduation ceremony for those who had graduated Tokyo University and planned to stay for many months more. When they got bored, they would move again, letting the cycle repeat itself.  
Haruka gripped her arm softly, "It's good to be home."  
With a smile, "Baka, I thought you enjoyed America?"  
Refusing to take the bait, "I do. But there is something to be said about being surrounded by friends."  
For all her bluster and bravado, Haruka Ten'ou was a softie. Which was perfectly alright by Michiru's standards.  
From across the terminal, she spied a figure waving frantically at them. "Michiru, Haruka, Hotaru!  
Haruka grinned and picked up her carryon bag, "I believe that's our ride."  
Rei rushed forward to tackle Hotaru with a hug, "Minna-san! It's so great to have you all back! I haven't seen you all for so long!"  
Haruka grinned evilly and poked Rei in the belly, "So what's this I hear about you dating the boss of some company?"  
"Wait-what-? You talked to Minako first, didn;t you?"  
Haruka laughed and hugged her smaller compatriot, "I think that you have some explaining to do."  
Rei squirmed, "Why do you care anyway?"  
She grinned, "The car can always use another sponsor or two. Besides, I have to look out for you. You could be making an ill advised decision."  
Rei wriggled out of her grip, "My life is too boring for any guy to ever take an interest in me. I just work for him."  
Michiru chuckled, "I suppose that a relationship is out of the question then."  
"I still barely know him. We're still scoping each other out."  
  
It was an unusually warm night and I sat outside on the patio gazing at the stars. There was little to do this late at night and east-west jet lag kept me up.  
I smirked up at the sky. Obviously, someone up there has an ironic sense of humor. I glanced at the glow in the dark hands of my watch. I was due in San Francisco in seven hours and then at the golf course two hours after that. Life was enjoyable...but somehow it seemed devoid of content. I had no children, no one to share my life with at the end of each day.  
Perhaps Dana had picked up on it first. The blind date was her way of telling me what was missing. I smiled and said aloud, "Ah Dana, what would I do without you?"  
Then in response, I answered my own question, "One hopes that I never have to answer that."  
A sudden gust of wind sent chills down my spine and I pulled my dressing robe around me more tightly. I felt a pall descend onto my mood .  
After a few moments, I drifted off to dreamless sleep. 


	15. Chapter 15

-  
Chapter 15  
  
I woke up to the soft trilling of my cellular phone. I snorted and then flipped it open, "Hello?"  
"Good morning, sir."  
"Rei, what time is it here? What time is it there?"  
"Your time, it is approximately 8:00 AM."  
I did a bunch of quick math, "What are you doing awake at 1:00 AM?"  
"I thought it might be convenient for you to get a wake up call. Is this time convenient?"  
I laughed quietly, "Rei, you didn;t have to call me. I have an alarm," I glanced around, "Although I fell asleep outside last night."  
Rei sighed, "Take care of yourself sir."  
"As always. I have to get to San Francisco for a meeting, this morning though. I'll probably be back the day after tomorrow."  
"Is there I time I can call you for updates?"  
"Tomorrow, during your workday. I think that will be much more practical for you."  
"Alright. I'll talk to you later, sir."  
  
Rei hung up the phone, stretched out like a cat, then patted down the folds in her night gown. It was indeed late, but she too could not sleep.  
What worried her was the excessive force with which the senshi seemed to be conducting this operation. The outer senshi had not shown up out of coincidence. 'Minako and Mamoru probably convinced Usagi to bring them in. Didn't even bother to tell the rest of us'  
She sighed. The man had not shown up for a couple of days, which meant that he was lying low for a while. Of course, this could all be a ruse. Rei worked several possibilities around her mind then threw her hands up in frustration.  
'Completely unpredictable. Completely, utterly unpredictable. This is obscene'  
In a violent manuever, she tossed some wood chips into the fire. It flared up suddenly upon the addition of new fuel. She passed her hand over it again, and sought out the presence which she had contacted long ago.  
This time, Rei would do things a little different. Instead of waiting for him, she would find him amongst the shifting spiritual realm. She closed her eyes and began to meditate.  
  
Halfway through my shower, my eyes flashed open. She was good. I hammered the wall of the bathroom with my fist, "Fuck!"  
'She knows where I am. A bit too soon for me, but it was to be expected'  
I blanked my mind, camoflauging my mental patterns with that of the surroundings. No sign of restrained power, no inconvenient outbursts.  
  
And just like that, she lost contact. Neat as you please, the presence vanished, indistinguishable from its surroudings.  
"Kuso. He knows I'm looking for him." Rei's eyes narrowed and she passed another hand over the fire. "But I know where you are now. What would you be doing in California?"  
She pondered that for a moment, then decided to call Mamoru. 'He's probably still studying at this hour'  
"Chiba residence. Who's calling?"  
"Mamoru? Rei."  
She could hear him laugh tiredly, "To what do I owe this pleasure? Especially, at this wonderful time."  
"He's in California, USA. I thought you might want to know."  
Mamoru was silent for a moment, "Damn. How did he manage to get over there?"  
Rei admited, "It is strange. Do you know anyone in California?"  
"The outer senshi are back, so no... Do you know anyone?"  
Rei shrugged, "My boss is over there talking up some I-bankers. That's about it."  
Mamoru joked, "Unless he's following your boss around, I guess we're stumped."  
"Mr. Kaitou can't be a suspect. He's smart, but I don;t think he's the type we're looking for."  
"Right. Back to square one."  
  
I glanced at the dashboard and then loosened up on the accelerator. The CHP would probably not ticket me, looking rather white and driving a porsche, but I didn't have the time to be stopped. As I came through the tunnel, I was once again struck by the wonderous beauty of the city of San Francisco. The bay sparkled like an aquamarine gem, surrounded by the brown mountains on one side and a bustling port on the other. It was a world class city, an odd mix of modern and older influences. Huge container ships, some of which likely carried my company's products, began their long sojourns out to Asia and to Panama Canal.  
I carefully pulled into a freeway exit, then out onto the city streets. A short drive later, and I was at the corporate headquarters of Blackstone.  
Clicking on the security button on my keys, I straightened my sports coat. Ever careful of my appearance, I brushed a stray peace of lint from the jacket and then moved towards the entrance. Moments later, I was in a fifth floor office, speaking with analyst Dan, an associate, a VP, and a managing director.  
We chatted for a while, but nothing concrete would be done yet. They inquired as to how much cash we wanted. I asked for a high sum, and they countered with a lower. It was a terribly tedious process and after about forty five minutes, I was on my way to a golf course outside of the city.  
I yawned slightly as I wandered my way down to my car. The lack of sleep was catching up to me and I resolved to get a cup of coffee before I started for the club.  
  
Rei drummed her fingers on the desk. A slowly growing mountain of paper work lay in front of her. At times, she would swear it was alive, consuming remaining table space like some alien blob.  
'I could get working on it. But what would that leave me to procrastinate with'  
She smiled openly. These past few weeks had been hectic ones, but filled with promise of good fortune. The job had opened doors she had not known existed. After her tenure, she would easily get a job in the consulting or business worlds. The things she had learned about business governance and growth could never be taught in a classroom. The company was extraordinarily successful for a startup, beating competition handily at every step. The larger companies in Japan simply could not compete with this fast mover, falling farther and farther behind.  
From her perch near the top, she could see every action that influenced the fate of the company. The sales reports told her that the sales training program had been a major success. Marketing had targetted Japan's much maligned small and midsized businesses. Big firms often overlooked them, opting to go after the large companies. But now they dominated nearly 70 percent of profits, with this company as the sole supplier of enterprise software and systems.  
And of course, there was Mr. Kaitou to figure out. Ever since that figure stepped into her life a little while ago, nothing was ever the same. He was an able captain of his chosen industry, a great mentor, and from all accounts a wonderful friend as well. Yet, he was an enigmatic figure or rather many figures wrapped into one. A starry eyed visionary with high hopes for profit, a pragmatic corporate leader, and a hard driving entrepreneur.  
When he got that glint of destiny in his eyes, nothing seemed to be able to stop his revolutionary machinations. He worked hard, inspired those around him to work hard, and guided the company on a careful path between radical recklessness and utter prudence.  
Rei shook her head quickly, to snap herself out of her reverie. 'Geeze, I'm acting like I'm expecting something to happen. What's wrong with me today?' She smirked, if only for moment, then returned to work. The profit reports had to be looked over and summarized. Anything else would have to wait.  
  
I whistled softly as I entered my house. I had won my golf game, so life seemed pretty good at that moment. The house was pleasantly quiet and I walked over to the bar for a drink and a smoke.  
I poured myself a glass of wine and decided to forgo the cigarette. The sun was setting over the hills again, and I wondered what I would be doing until dinner. I pondered a TV football game, but opted for another drink instead. I gazed at the clock at the wall, and saw that it was nearly five.  
Rei hadn't called back yet, and I suspected that she was on her way to work. She was a motivated worker, but a little masochistic in the way that Japanese employees can be. I knew that I would demand long hours of her when things started picking up, but it had taken me a couple of weeks to ween her off getting to work an hour early to show her dedication.  
I don't even know if it was a conscious effort, but it unnerved me a little. I suppose I was too used to the informality of a startup internet software company and would never make a transition to normal corporate life. I suppressed a little smile at that.  
The wine tasted cool and sweet and dulled my senses a little more. Dinner with the board pretty soon. I leaned back to ponder my situation. It seemed as though I was doing that a lot at that time. But to be fair, there was much to ponder. It was more dangerous than ever before. The senshi had managed to track me, even across the ocean, which told me that they weren't that out of practice. Which also meant that I might have to start operating even more covertly, under evasive procedures and cloaking magic as much as possible.  
I caressed the scar on my forearm. I had resolved to myself that I would not fight them, even if it came to violence.  
  
Mamoru rubbed the stubble on his chin and then stared at his sleeping fiance. Usagi was an early sleeper and he respected that fervently. It bespoke a mind without care or worry or guilt. And as she curled up at his side, he wondered again what she had ever seen in him.  
His lip curled and he bit his tongue. There were more important things to worry about, such as the rather enigmatic figure that occasionally appeared on the Tokyo skyline. Somehow, he felt a silent connection with the dark man that he could not explain nor express.  
He's smart. If anything, he'll lie low for as long as possible. But if I interpret the situation correctly, he'll show up at youma attacks. And that means, I have his weakness.  
He looked at his fiance again. There would be no sense in searching for him in groups. This would be solo. 


	16. Chapter 16

-  
Chapter 16  
  
Night found me in a brassy Chinese restaurant in San Francisco with ten courses laid out in front of me and ten other people at the table with me, "To Ryan, a revolutionary genius!"  
I bowed my head humbly, "Revolutionary, sir? I'm far too boring to be revolutionary."  
The chairman of the board, James Callaghan, clapped my shoulder, "But so well. You are an artist, sir."  
I lifted a hand and ordered another mao tai before replying, "Look, I just run the thing. You know what Peter Lynch said, 'Build a business that can be run by a monkey. Because sooner or later it'll be run by one.' Well, sir, you've got yours."  
His wife, a plump woman by name of Abigail, laughed gaily, "Nevertheless, we are grateful for your primate lineage."  
"You aren't the only one."  
Another board member piped in, "So how are you finding Japan?"  
I smiled, "Japan is rather nice. I have to admit that it expected much less of it."  
James grinned, "For an unmarried man no less?"  
As I affected a look of shocked innocence, Abigail moved in for the kill, "So when are you getting married? You can't have that much trouble finding someone."  
"Well, it really hasn't been on my list of priorities. When I get the company up and running in Japan, then I can devote more time...to carnal pleasures."  
The chairman clapped my shoulder again. It was starting to hurt. "Ah, my boy. I worry for your sanity. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy and all that."  
Directly, "Then take heart in the fact that I do not worry for myself. I am confident of my own sanity."  
  
The trip to America lasted for only another day, with the last details being wrapped up without any significant difficulty. I would not need to make the arduous trip to America for a little while, a good thing at that. The Chief Financial Officer would be going over periodically to ensure that the deal was still on, but the rest of the process could be done over video conferencing.  
Checking my schedule, I found that I had Friday office hours and then a Saturday golf game to attend with Rei. That would be most interesting. But now, I had dozens of sales reports to deal with that Rei had emailed me earlier in the day. I adjusted the headrest on my seat and stared out the side of the plane. California was a wonderful place, difficult to leave for the first time and even more difficult each subsequent time.  
But, I, like everyone else, had duties to perform, both to my employers and others. I lifted my hand to my face and felt the creases of age. Which is funny. As far as I knew, I aged quite a bit like humans. In fact, there is a little bit of controversy over exactly what species I really. Human based certainly, with my complexion, considerable anatomical similarities, and the fact that genetically, I am undifferentiable. Non-human, in my sensory perceptions, my resilience to physical damage and the like. It is a knotty philosophical question which is solved easily by the contention that I am human enough.  
I lit up a cigarette before signalling to a waitress, "Gin martini with a twist."  
She nodded before disappearing to the back of the first class cabin. I messed with my tie. It would be around 8:00 AM in the morning when I landed and I would need to go to work immediately from the airport. I had already missed far too many days already.  
  
Rei tapped out a status report and emailed it to her boss before putting a copy in the 'to do' pile. The boss's desk, despite overflowing with work, was neater than she ever had seen it. Kaitou tended to mess things up rather efficiently, and in his absence the entropy seemed to take its own order.  
It was still early in the day and she stood up to stretch. She yawned and exited the office to get herself a cup of coffee. The mornings had gotten progressively earlier, working up to the point when she would be getting up to get to the office at 6:00 AM like her superior.  
Her mind wandered to other things, as she absently noted the slight growl in her stomach.  
A slightly accented, "Excuse me, Rei-san. Gotta get my morning jolt."  
She turned to see Ryan guzzle a cup of boiling hot coffee and then squeeze his eyes shut as if in enormous amounts of pain, "Kaitou-san! How was your trip to America?"  
"Absurdly busy. We're getting our money though and for that I am happy. Even if it means less sleep." He gunned down another cup of black coughed, "Alright. I'm ready to go."  
"Are you okay? Did you sleep on the flight back?"  
"Not a wink. Too busy worrying about what I had to do today. With luck, it'll be a quick day and we can all go home and sleep."  
  
I worked with the fury of a madman. Anything useful was stored into another inbox behind me while everything else went straight into the industrial strength shredder at my side.  
I had a press conference and some industry meetings to attend and then I would need to make the rounds in the building to see how the various parts of my organization were running. A quick call to the States for software information then a leisurely dinner to top it off. At 12 PM or so.  
Dammit. I thrust those thoughts from my mind and tossed another paper into the shredder. I could not afford those thoughts right now.  
"Rei!"  
She entered my office, prim and proper as usual, "Hai, Kaitou-san?"  
"Mail these off. Several are international so take what you need out of petty cash."  
"The addresses?"  
"On the sheets themselves." I turned to my computer and scanned another email, "So are you up for the weekend?"  
She looked a little embarrassed, "Took some golf lessons while you were away and bought a new outfit. I'm not very good."  
I looked up amusedly, "Great, neither am I. We'll make a good pair."  
"Yes sir."  
  
Stifling a yawn, he continued to work through lunch and then a reasonable dinner hour. Rei looked at him with a mixture of pity and awe. He was forever energetic, running his business at a breakneck pace. He had been in a conference call for nearly two hours, then popped out to walk and talk to every single one of the sales managers and staff. She had followed to take notes, but in reality she knew that he had allowed her to pursue the opportunity as a sort of apprenticeship, watching the master at his trade.  
Dana had popped in for a couple of moments to drop off some forms for signing and then had beaten a hasty retreat to Rei's office.  
"He's working pretty hard in there."  
Rei gawked at her, "Pretty hard? His desk is nearly clean now. That was a week's worth of work."  
Dana shrugged, "He's fast when he wants to be. But it looks like he'll be here until midnight at least."  
"Well, I should probably stay with him. Make sure that he gets home alright."  
The other woman smiled knowingly, "I'm certain that he'll be fine. I think that you should work until about 9 and then get some rest."  
Rei was inclined to agree, but something stopped her. She believed it was a nagging sensation, a curiosity as to how this strange American accomplished what he did. "No thanks. I think I'll make sure that he doesn't get messed up too much in the process. Besides, I kinda want this week to end with a bang. It's been too boring anyway."  
"Suit yourself."  
  
Blearily, I glanced at the clock on the wall. I couldn't focus for a moment and rubbed my eyes to clear them. Given the situation, it didn't really make all that much of a difference and I gave up in disgust before remember that I had a watch.  
I grabbed long empty bottle of water at my side and tried to drink from it. While wondering why liquid was not issuing forth from the bone dry container, a firm hand took mine and guided it to a fresh, unopened bottle. I gulped up half of it, then flicked few droplets in my face.  
"Kaitou-san. You should really watch out for delirium. It seems to afflict you when you don't sleep."  
"Rei, the work does not finish itself. Why are you still here?"  
She smiled innocently, "To watch over you. And don't worry, I rested in my office. But you have not. Come on, I'll get you to a cafe."  
I smiled gratefully, "I appreciate the thought, but I have the work to finish-"  
"But it will still be here on Monday. Besides, you've made pretty good progress today. I don't see anything that another thirty minutes would not fix. Come on. I'll use my overtime to buy you dinner."  
I laughed, "Okay, okay. Never argue with a woman this late at night."  
"Had some experiences I see?"  
"What-?"  
Rei smirked, "You're tired. And glucose deprived. I think we should get some dinner before you pass out."  
I blinked a couple of times, then yawned, "Alright. Just let me find my jacket...or something..."  
I stumbled over to the coat rack and a flip out mirror concealed in a panel on a wall. I straightened my tie and ran a comb through my hair quickly to pick off any stray strands. Easing on my coat, I winced at the stiffness in my joints and then cracked my neck. "There are days when I wish I were retired."  
"But what would you do in your spare time?"  
"Golf, sleep, drink. Only three things needed to make a man happy."  
Rei feigned shock, "What about women?"  
I waved a hand, "Companionship is overrated." 


	17. Chapter 17

-  
Chapter 17  
  
The restaurant we found was a popular night spot among the young urban elite of Tokyo. A couple of film stars here and there incognito. A tycoon and his overly young 'daughter.' I stifled another yawn and decided to skip alcohol for the night. "Tea. And hurry."  
Rei watched me with considerable amusment, "Sometimes, you are just like a child."  
I gulped down my boiling drink and coughed into my sleeve, "Sometimes?"  
"Well, most of the time."  
"I try my humble best." I breathed in deeply and felt energy surging back into my tired bones, "Alright. I don't feel like I'm going to die anymore."  
"That's certainly a positive." She took a delicate sip of her tea. "So, about the Yamaha account-"  
I raised my hand, "No business. I have a rule. During dinner, there is to be absolutely no business done. I only accept phone calls that constitute personal emergencies."  
"But you worked through dinner today...er yesterday."  
I glared at her, "Stop pointing out my inconsistencies."  
Rei smiled at me and was about to reply, when stopped by a beeping in her purse. Her face drained of color and she stood up, "I am sorry Kaitou-san, but I have to take this. Would you excuse me?"  
I nodded, then called over a waiter. "Yes, sir?"  
"Hold this table for me. I'll be back in twenty minutes."  
"Sir?"  
"Just do it." I pushed a couple of bills into his hand, clapped his shoulder, and pushed my way towards the nearest exit.  
  
Rei found an empty stall in the bathroom and pulled out the communicator. Sailor Moon's face swam into coherence. "Large scale youma attack. At least twelve of them, both aerial and ground. We need support and fast."  
"I'm on my way."  
  
I followed my senses to the scene. I didn;t have my conveniently hooded cloak to protect me this time, but with luck it would not matter. I spotted Sailor Venus and two others I did not know push back a group of four youma with energy and physical assaults. A tall, blond one jump kicked a monster in the head, sending its comrades scurrying out of the way.  
I could sense another couple of senshi falling back against a larger group of six.  
And of course, Tuxedo Mask was up in the air, tangling with two aerial attackers. I could see rose projectiles scything through the air in blurs of crimson, but it no avail. The flyers dodged and weaved, spitting acidic at their lone antagonist.  
Up it is. I vaulted myself high into the air, landing deftly on the flat roof of a sky scrapper. A fierce dogfight reigned as Tuxedo Mask struggled to shed his pursuers. They seemed to not have noticed me, until one of the flyer dipped too low and I leapt up to grab hold onto one of its talons. The sudden weight pulled the creature to the rooftop and we hit the ground hard. I cushioned my fall with some selectively cast magic and stood to face my opponent. The bird/reptile/human type creature looked at me with hard and intelligent eyes. It opened its mouth, probably to spit an acid ball at me. I raised my hand. "First, a question."  
It hissed softly as if contemplating whether or not to answer. I sighed, "Look. I'm almost certain that you understand me."  
It hurffed amusedly, "You are rather intelligent, human. So what shall we talk off, before we dance?"  
I smiled without humor, "Where are you guys coming from? I must say I'm rather impressed. You've done a masterful insertion. One even I might have been proud of."  
"Indeed." It paused for a moment, then a chilling smile passed over its face. "I see the resemblance now. Your face is shaded the same way. If you are who I think, then you already know."  
I must have looked puzzled for a moment, because it took that moment to spit at me. I threw myself to the side and focused my mental energies to yank its foot out from underneath it.  
Without a weapon, I was annoyingly helpless. And more to the point, I was not particularly proficient at the energy weapon thing. I was stuck with more mundane methods of self defense. I pulled my powers around me, forming a sort of positive energy shield. It wouldn't stop a bullet or a determined swordsman, but it might just-  
Another ball of acid was spat down my way and I spun, deflecting it it away from me. Okay, now a weapon.  
I glanced about the roof and spied a conveniently placed stack of iron rods, likely the leftovers from the original construction. I sprinted over, dodging another acid blast and grabbing hold of a rusty iron bar.  
I twirled the bar like a staff and held it in front of me in a defensive position. The monster regarded me a little more warily then threw itself at me with a terrible roar. I spun backwards, picking off its taloned hands with consummate skill. I felt myself breathing a little heavily, but forced my mind onto the task at hand.  
The monster, danced around a bit in a silly little jig, before my sensory perceptions tipped me off to the presence of another. It was merely a ploy to hold my attention, as its compatriot tore through the sky like a divebomber, to take me off guard. I did a little jig myself, manuevering around a bit to bring both of them into my vision.  
The diving one, suddenly without a target, skidded across the building top, striking sparks up as it went. The creature came to a quick halt and then turned and hissed at me. I lifted my staff and gritted my teeth. The dangers of the situation were obvious. Two creatures, far stronger than me, with greater mobility and lest we forget a ranged attack.  
Versus me. With my pathetic mental shield and an improvised staff. I glared at them, feeling the anger course through my veins, radiating out from me like a heat from a flame. Both of them stepped back for a moment, then conversed for a moment in a language that I did not understand.  
The one that had not spoken befored intoned carefully, "It will be an honor killing you."  
I lifted an eyebrow and replied without irony, "I would like you see you take advantage of that."  
The first one crossed the distance in a flash and aimed a heavy cuff at my head. I ducked and swiped the staff underneath its foot. The second, though, was right behind and spun around to whip its tail across my chest. I felt it impact and drive me back six feet, winded and possibly injured.  
The fury in my mind grew and I raised the staff again to face them. This time they both came in together, one spitting an acid ball,  
the other swinging its tail in the formerly successful move. I dodged underneath both and in a burst of inspiration speared the swinging tail into the concrete. The ground trembled beneath me in the effort and an inhuman wail filled the air.  
Ignoring that, I turned to see the other creature preparing to hock another deadly loogie at me and decided to preempt that. I thrust my hand to it neck, gripping it as tightly as I could. Its eyes bugged out at my surprising strength and its hands reached up to pry my fingers from its throat. I snarled at it and squeezed it even harder, imagining that it could feel the heat from my rage.  
Surprisingly, it began to gurgle helplessly and then turn ashen white before crumpling at my feet. I felt a new energy course through my body and I smiled evilly as I turned to the speared monster on my other side.  
But he was already dead, from a rose to the heart. And that could only mean-  
"Kuso."  
  
Tuxedo Mask stepped out into the light, a faintly amused look on his face. "Kuso, indeed. At last we meet."  
The blond man sighed and straightened , "I suppose it would be too late to ask you what the hell you're talking about."  
In his most urbane and intelligent voice, Mamoru replied, "I would say so, yes. But you could try that anyway."  
The blond sighed again, and cracked his neck, "How are the senshi doing?"  
Mamoru glanced over the building side and smiled, "Fine. They've cornered the last three and are about to take them out. Which leaves us a little time to talk."  
The man laughed, but there was little humor in it, "Ah, what I was most afraid of."  
Mamoru chuckled too, but kept his eye on the man. By all counts, this was a wily one. There would be no chances taken. He crossed the roof and put a hand on the man's shoulder. The blond didn't flinch.  
  
I felt the hand on my shoulder and did not have time to steel myself when Tuxedo Mask spun me around to see me face to face.  
The surprise in his eyes was a nice, short-term reward, something to keep myself from dwelling on the long term repercussions. I smiled graciously and offered a careful twinkle in my eye.  
"It can't be."  
I bowed slightly, "Ah, but it is Endymion-sama. How are you doing this fine evening?" 


	18. Chapter 18

-  
Chapter 18  
  
For the first and possibly last time in my life, I saw Prince Endymion go pale. It is a tribute to his self control and reckless bravery that he managed to recover in less than a minute.  
He lifted a cautious finger at me, "You're supposed to be dead."  
I nodded in agreement, "Indeed I am."  
"But you're not."  
I smiled sarcastically, "You're two for two. Care to try for three?"  
He grinned in spite of himself, "What the devil are you doing here?"  
I moved to the side and glanced down at the street, "Well, the senshi are done. I think that I had better make my leave. If you are personally curious," I pulled out my wallet and took out a business card to scribble down an address, "You can find me there in an hour and a half."  
Mamoru glanced at the card and then back up to see that the familar face was gone.  
  
The glitz of the night spot burned into my eyes and I felt a huge fatigue come over me. I had slipped in through the back, getting there a few bare moments before she showed up.  
"Rei-san! I was getting worried! I broke out into a sweat thinking you might not come back!"  
Rei blushed, "Sorry, personal emergency. But I'm starved. Let's eat!"  
I essayed up my most charming smile, hiding my unease at the ordeal ahead. But, a soldier's instinct took over and I elected to push those worries from my mind. Warm food in my system and something to keep me awake. Everything else was of secondary importance.  
We made small talk for a while and I noticed Rei glance down at her purse a couple of times. She was worried about a follow up attack. For my part, I was a little too tired to care.  
  
I poured myself a large vodka, and gulped it straight down. I hadn;t slept in nearly 36 hours, but sleep would not come until the confrontation was over. I glanced at the clock. 2:00 AM in the morning. My hands shook for reasons that I could not explain. Best solution.  
Lighting a cigarette, I breathed in the nicotine and felt a little energy return to my bones. A tentative tap came at 2:03 and I knew the test had begun. I shuffled over and opened it.  
Chiba Mamoru stood in front of me, looking suspicious as ever. I inclined my head and he walked in slowly, looking from side to side. I recognized his careful motions and laughed quietly, "Relax, there are no traps. No one here except you and me."  
He pursed his lips, "Forgive my suspicion. I do not like walking into the den of an enemy without being somewhat cognizant of what I am getting into."  
I raised one eyebrow, "I am not your enemy, Endymion-sama."  
Mamoru replied urbanely, "Call me Mamoru."  
"Mamoru-sama."  
He chuckled tiredly, "No, just Mamoru."  
"Fine then 'just Mamoru.' Can I get you something to drink? A glass of wine? Whiskey?"  
He looked at me to gauge my intent, "I'll have what you're having."  
"Large vodka it is." I walked over to the bar, feeling my feet drag every step of the way, "So, how shall we start this?"  
"How about I ask questions, and you answer them. Assuming I can trust your answers, I think they ought to be most interesting."  
I nodded, "Fair enough. Fire away."  
Mamoru scouted out a comfortable looking easy chair and leaned back, "Now please correct me if I'm wrong, but you are Jadeite, formerly of the Dark Kingdom and one Queen Beryl's employ, yes?"  
I grinned, "That sums it up quite well, yes. I am actually rather surprised you recognized me. No one else had."  
He shrugged, "I remember the energy signature rather well. You know, that energy draining attack you've always liked. Lest we forget, you were the first bad guy I ever beat. Such things make for long memories. Additionally, I believe you were once part of my Royal Guard."  
"Ah, so many years ago. Truly, I miss those days," I made my way back with the drink and handed it off to him before sitting down across on a long sofa, "But I digress. Please continue."  
Mamoru's gaze shifted ever so slightly, "How are you still alive? After you failed, Beryl didn;t kill you?"  
"A little caprice in her part. I was entombed in a rather thick crystal for what was supposed to be an eternity. Luckily, Beryl, as with many of her endeavors, was not particularly thorough. With the collapse of that dimension, I was conveniently freed and used what I thought was the last of my magic to provide me passage to one of my safehouses here. I had a fake identity and decided to start anew."  
He smirked, "You expect me to believe that?"  
I shrugged, "What reason to do you have not to?"  
"True. What else is there....oh right. Why should I not kill you right now?" A rose appeared in his hand and his eyes took on a murderous glint, "You are a war criminal by any human standard. You led an invading army, and nearly succeeded in enslaving the human race."  
I grimaced, "Truthfully, you have little reason to trust me at all. But, think of it this way. You've seen me. I am not hurting you, nor your loved ones. I only wish to live my life quietly." A quiet grin creased my face, "Besides. I can always move back to the States."  
"Ah, so that is an American accent I detect!" Mamoru laughed, "Don't worry Jadeite. I did not come here to start a fight. But I am curious as to why you came to Japan. Surely, you knew we were here."  
I coughed, "Call it an indiscretion on my part. I was offered a better job here. And besides, I like the city. I was hoping to avoid unpleasantries like this, but I am not going to let my fears dictate my life."  
Mamoru nodded, "You are a brave man then. Braver than I gave you credit for before. You know, Rei thinks you're incredible."  
"Excuse me?"  
He smiled easily, "Come now. Rei is in the employ of a blond American businessman surnamed Kaitou. The business card you so conveniently gave me, bears the same name. I do not believe in coincidences, Ryan."  
The affirmation of my first name put me at ease, "Rei is a wonderful person. I wish the best for her. She deserves so much more than being my secretary."  
"I want you to know that she does not agree. You're a good example. If a slightly tainted one."  
I glared at him, "Look, bad influences at the time. You may not remember the last days of the Silver Millenium. I do."  
The man leaned forward, "Only a few scattered dreams. I'm not sure if they're accurate."  
I waved it off, "For another day. When I'm not as drunk."  
Mamoru set his drink aside, "So...you still seem to have your powers. And you;ve been rather effective at fighting enemies. And I suppose I have a soft spot for you. If you had ever killed an innocent, I might not be able to forgive you."  
I laughed out loud, "My incompetence at evil saves me yet again!"  
The rose disappeared from his hand and Mamoru took a sip of the vodka, "Indeed."  
We chatted for a few more moments until I brought the issue of information exchanges. Mamoru looked a little sour, "There are certain difficulties in that. We need a plausible way to meet."  
"Hmm. I know an American bar nearby. Plays satellite American football and stuff. We could have met there."  
"Wait, an actual American bar with football?"  
I looked a little puzzled, "You know the game?"  
"I LOVE the game! Niners all the way."  
I laughed derisively, "Dammit, the 49ers aren't going anywhere. Raiders is where its at."  
"Rich Gannon isn't good anymore!"  
I chuckled, "Okay, we met there. But to inagurate this new relationship, we ought to exchange what we know."Mamoru looked around for a pen and paper, "Sounds fine to me."  
I found him the materials and sat back down, "They're reptilian primarily. They use teleportation to get around. And from what we've seen tonight, they are capable of coordinated assaults."  
"New warlord type thing?"  
"Something like that. Have you noticed any uniforms or anything like that?"  
"Nope. Nothing conspicuous at least."  
I grimaced, "Not much to go off of is there?"  
"Not particularly. Perhaps we ought to go into another line of work."  
"Why, when we're having so much fun here?"  
  
Mamoru left Ryan apartment, weary but heartened. The King of Illusions, with his disarming smile and copious amounts of alcohol, had taken him into his confidence and given him hope through humor. While waiting for the elevator, he reflected on how easily Jadeite had affected the mannerisms and actions of a typically overly loud American. Yet, according to Rei, he moved with Tokyo's highest circles competently, the odd foreigner among them.  
'A dangerous man, then.' Mamoru thought. But that would deny the honorable spirit he sensed beneath the lacquered charm. 'A good ally then'  
Yet, that still was not fitting. Jadeite still retained his energy draining powers, and apparently found few obstacles in employing them. Mamoru was not a stupid man. Those draining powers could easily be turned against the wrong people and he did not completely trust the stability of his former general.  
'A wild card.' It was an ugly term, bespeaking randomness and lack of control, which contrasted terribly with the suave and put together facade of Ryan Kaitou. Somehow, though, it was the only one that could work under the circumstances, inauspicious as they were.  
'Wild card, it is.' 


	19. Chapter 19

-  
Chapter 19  
  
The day dawned warm, muggy, and terrible. I glared at the sun outside and tossed my predominantly black outfit back into the closet. It would have to go with something that wouldn't absorb heat.  
Which left me with two very bad decisions. White pants and a yellow shirt or teal pants and a red shirt. My golfing attire had never been large, as my visits to the golf course lately have been very few and far between. I stared at the abysmal choices and then walked back into the closet to retrieve my black pants. Red and black, it would be today. Not too colorful, matched my mood besides. 'Hell, it may even make an impression'  
I stowed my clubs and shoes in the car and carefully checked my back for any stray pieces of lint. Convinced that none were there, I instead focused on how I would glean information from my target. Golf would be in the company of a Japanese chief executive and his operations manager. The executive in question had eluded all modernization efforts at his company since the late 1980s, a tribute to the inherent conservatism and monopolistic tendencies of his corporate universe. I would not be the first to try to convince him to modernize, and I had a sneaking suspicion that I would not be the last.  
'Hell, we have to try once.' If we got the deal, we would be in an incredible position to maximize our further growth. I estimated that the deal could mean fifty million alone for the initial installation and many many more millions for technical backup and service.  
Before getting into the car, I lit up a cigarette and took a deep drag before dropping it to the floor and grounding it with my heel.  
  
Rei scrunched up her nose as she looked at herself in the mirror and coughed. White golf shorts were the order of the day, flexible enough to be worn on the course, yet classy enough for dinner later in the club house. She breathed out a puff of air and then ran her hand through her hair.  
A sudden honking jolted her out of her thoughts and she grabbed her purse and hefted her golf bag. A company owned Maybach pulled into the temple driveway and sat there, purring like the day it came out of its German factory.  
She sighed. Men and their toys.  
The window rolled down silently and her boss grinned irreverantly at her. "Need a ride, lady?"  
"This is a little much isn't it?"  
Ryan shrugged, "I suppose so. But in business, I have learned that it is a far greater sin to look too poor rather than too rich."  
"I am certain that you won't be suffering from the latter any time soon."  
The CEO popped the trunk and got out to help her with her bags, "That depends entirely on my operational and visionary brilliance."  
She shook her head, a sardonic grin playin over her face, "None of which are in question of course."  
"Of course." He extended a somewhat tanned arm and glanced at the watch attached to it. "But enough chit chat. It's an hour away and we have to go."  
  
Rei took a sniff of the car air, "You were smoking."  
I coughed and tried to hide my guilt with a look of surprised innocence. "What ever do you mean?"  
She glared at me, "Don't play with me. You were smoking. It's bad for you, you know."  
I scowled back, "Ms. Radar Nose strikes again. Sometimes I need to relax."  
"Then you're failing miserably. Tobacco is a stimulant. Not very relaxing."  
I nodded, conceding the point. We both felt the tension in the car, realizing how big this deal might be, and how much it glory (profit) it would bring us if we succeeded. Should we get the deal, it would mean that hundreds of men and women would be getting much deserved bonuses in time for the holiday season. Jobs would be created, money would be injected into the economy, and quality of life would increase. All of them deserved it, and I would not fail them if I could possibly help it.  
But, for all the worry that welled up inside of me, it could not possibly match that of Rei. She fidgeted relentlessly, alternating between glaring at me for my infidelity and gazing aimlessly out the window.  
I remembered my own first big pitch, where I had spent the majority of the morning before in front of a toilet. And that was after negotiation classes, seminars, and tutors.  
I could only imagine what Rei was feeling.  
"Nervous?"  
She looked at me with a uncharacteristically shy grin, "Does it show?"  
I lied comfortably, "Not really. Just take deep breaths. You were a priestess, you should be good at such things."  
Rei smiled gratefully, "Okay, you're the boss."  
I pulled up sharply to the front. A manager and two caddies were there to greet us.  
"Kaitou-san?"  
I nodded, "Hai?" "We were informed of your arrival by Fukui-san. Please follow me."  
  
The club house was decorated in a highly Western style, evoking images of old hunting lodges. I smelled the clean pine scent of the surrounding boards and spared a glance at Rei. She had shed the nervous energy of before, cloaking it in an almost sensual aura of calm. She turned her head to me and I caught the glimpse of a smile on her features.  
I muttered to myself, "Let's rock and roll."  
Rei queried softly, "What?" "Just an America phrase. It means let's get to it."  
"Somewhat like that saying from that stupid American wrestling drama. Let's get ready to rumble?"  
I beamed, "Indeed."  
The manager turned, "Fukui-san will see you now."  
  
I spoke in perfect Japanese, with a slight Tokyo accent I like to think, "Fukui-san, I greet you. I apologize for being late."  
He smiled charmingly, "Not at all Kaitou-san. I believe you have met my Operations Manager and right hand man," he gestured to the thin man at his side, "Hiroshi-san. And who is the lovely young woman accompanying you?"  
I bowed to Hiroshi, before motioning to Rei, "Let me introduce you to my executive assistant, Hino Rei."  
Fukui-san bowed over her hand, "A pleasure."  
Rei smiled beautifully, "No, it is all mine." Hiroshi merely looked on with a careful eye. I felt something strange about him, but focused my energy on the decision maker. "Shall we begin?"  
"Of course, of course."  
  
I sighted the green, closed my eyed and took a whack at the ball. Amazingly, it sailed high and true. Characteristically, it landed in the rough.  
Rei whispered softly into my ear, "You need to work on your swing, Kaitou-san."  
I smiled, "I need many things. A larger salary, a woman, a less chatty assistant."  
"You love me and you know it. Besides, you took me on. Don't begrudge the work." She stepped up to tee off.  
I took a couple of steps back to stand with the rest of the spectators. Fukui-san grinned at me, "An excellent shot. Went farther than mine."  
"Was considerably less accurate as well. I would give quite a bit to get the ball on the fairway for once."  
Fukui paused for a moment, then favored me with an almost ghoulish grin, "Indeed."  
The caddies pulled two carts up to our little group. Rei beckoned to Fukui-san to sit with her, then shot a glance in my direction. I had little difficulty in interpreting it as 'You owe me big time'  
Indeed, I do Rei-san. Far more than you will ever know.  
Hiroshi smiled vaguely, perhaps picking up on the subtle tactic I had Rei employ, perhaps merely enjoying the weather.  
"I suspect, Kaitou-san, that we will be riding together."  
I extended a hand, "After you." The green grass crunched underneath our wheels as we scootered towards the nearest golf ball.  
"So how do you like Japan, Kaitou-san?"  
I was a little taken aback by the forward question, "I like it very much thank you. I missed it while I was away."  
He broke out into the first genuine smile I saw that meeting, "Ah, so that is a Tokyo accent I detect. I could not believe a gaijin would do justice to our language. Pray tell, where in Tokyo did you live?"  
I waved my hand dismissively, "I stayed around the Juuban district for a lot of my time." I hesitated for a moment, "Forgive my asking, but where did you go to business school?"  
Hiroshi looked puzzled for a moment, "Why in Tokyo University...." he, too, paused. Then a smile broke over his face, "You are wondering why I am so aggressive right now, ne?"  
"It did cross my mind."  
"Well, I came back for business school, but my college days were spent in sunny Stanford University in California. Your home state I believe."   
I slapped his back, in a way that I would never do to a Japanese businessman, "Sonafagun! I knew I felt something strange about you. What year did you graduate?"  
He grinned back in a very American style, "Why the year we crushed Cal in basketball AND football." I extended my hand, "Then from one graduate to another, I would like to shake your hand."  
Hiroshi took it and vigorously pumped my arm up and down. "So back to business, tell me, truthfully, what your company can offer mine."  
I nodded, "It's a fair question. You remember in the 1980s, when Japanese firms were kicking the crap out of us Americans?" He nodded, "Well, we are now making another shift with Enterprise software. Instead of having a Human Resources department, you have three people with computers. Instead of having an entire team devoted to ordering materials, you have manufacturing linked with the suppliers themselves. It's incredible for efficiency and profit maximization."  
Hiroshi nodded, "While you have convinced me, I warn you that Fukui-san will be much more difficult to deal with. I advise caution."  
Sighing, "Thanks buddy. I knew it might be a lost cause. But I had to try."  
Hiroshi nodded slightly, then got out as the caddy stopped. I grimaced, but straightened my shoulders and walked to meet my fate.  
  
I cracked open a bottle of water and took a deep breath. Hiroshi and Fukui were off somewhere else, doing other things, and it left me a little time to interogate Rei.  
"So?"  
Rei pursed her lips, "Just a little bit, boss. From what I gather, the business seriously needs our products. They are being outcompeted severely by American firms who outsource."  
"And our prospects for making the sale?"  
"Can't make a read. He hides his thoughts well."  
I nodded, "And the man himself?"  
She hesitated for a moment, "Well....I felt very uncomfortable around him....very uncomfortable. I am not sure why."  
I sighed, "Thanks. Let's see where this day get us."  
  
The meeting began with tea. There was sake on the table, but that would not be touched unless the deal went through successfully. I had changed into a business suit, with white shirt and red tie. The first part of the meeting had been consumately American, a concession to me. Now, I would offer the same courtesy to my host, completing the sale in a completely Japanese manner.  
After exchanging gifts, we sat across from each other in complete silence. Only when he took a sip from his tea, did Rei and I take one from ours. After ten minutes, Fukui began with a comment on the weather. I reciporicated with a casual remark on the same subject and the talks ensued.  
Thirty minutes later, Fukui looked significantly at Hiroshi and then at Rei. "Would it be possible to ask your assistant to leave?" I was about to protest but Rei touched my shoulder and rose to leave. Hiroshi also rose to leave, bowing politely and exited the room.  
"Kaitou-san, I tire of this. You are American. You, then, can appreciate my directness in this matter." I inclined my head slightly as he continued, "I am inclined to give into your request."  
My heart jumped into my throat, but then sank into the pit of my stomach as he then made the second part of his request. "But....I must have some incentive to help you."  
I felt a pang of suspicion, "What sort of incentive could I possibly offer you, Fukui-san?" Fukui's smile became ghoulish again, "Tell me, how old is your secretary?"  
My eyes narrowed slightly, "I am not certain why you are asking me this question. Please, in the interest of American directness, let us not mince words."  
Fukui looked at me with glittering eyes, "As you wish. Would your secretary be amenable to a....liason?"  
A cold anger swept through me, "I think not, sir. I have no power over her."  
He smiled easily, "Certainly you do. You have the power over her job, and with the job market the way it is now, I suspect she cannot refuse any requests. Come Kaitou-san, I am an old man. The geisha girls no longer amuse me. Do not make me drink this sake alone."  
I stared at my tea, then placed it on the table silently. Rising, I bowed to Fukui. "I apologize Fukui-san. I cannot ask that of anyone, less one of my employees. This meeting is over. And if you don't mind my saying so, you can go to hell."  
Fukui rose too, his smile maliciously cheerful, "You Americans. Wrapped up in your own morality. Welcome to Japan, Kaitou-san. I trust that you will not find the rest of your visit...difficult."  
I smiled back, the old arrogance creeping back into my features, "No, Fukui-san. We are here to stay. I don't think that we'll we going anywhere any time soon."  
" Don't be so sure about that, Kaitou-san. Do not presume to know Japan." 


	20. Chapter 20

-  
Chapter 20  
  
Rei came up to me and I cut her off with a hand, "We're outta here." I grabbed her arm and half led, half dragged her towards the car.  
"Hey, what the hell happened in there?"  
"The deal fell through."  
Her eyes widened, "What? How?"  
"Let's not talk about it now. Walls and ears and whatnot."  
Rei shrugged of my hand and sighed, "At the very least, let me walk on my own power."  
  
The sun was setting over the hills splashing red light over my eyes. I could barely see over the glare to the road ahead, and instead contented myself with watching the speedometer tick around 180 kph the entire time.  
Rei was frozen in her seat, "Okay, I can see you're a little upset, Ryan. Care to pull over and talk about it? Or should we merely wait until we're decorating the pavement?"  
I spared a venomous glance over, then slowed down by fifty percent. She visibly relaxed, "You know, I could get used to this."  
"What?"  
"Dana once told me that you tend to listen to women more than men and your secretary more than anyone else in the world. I'm glad to see that some things are constant. Now, let's talk about this."  
I snorted, "Women. Always wanting to talk about things. Never wanting to accomplish anything. Never want to take action."  
Levelly, "And what do you want to accomplish?"  
Coolly, "Kill the fucking bastard. Wait.....no. That's wrong. Maim, THEN kill the fucking bastard."  
Wryly, "I take it that the last ditch talks with Fukui-san did not go well."  
"You might say that. I would say that they were a bloody fiasco."  
Rei sighed, "Pull over at the next place that serves alcohol and we can talk about it, ne?"  
  
"Large whiskey and an order of sake." I looked at Rei, "And you?"  
She smiled encouragingly, "This is on the company account right? Glass of Chardonnay."  
The waiter bowed low and escaped to the bar. Rei turned to me carefully and folded her hands on the table, "Now, if you can, tell me what happened."  
I took a gulp of water, "You're not going to like it."  
"Try me."  
Before beginning, I took a deep breath and mentally ordered myself to calm down. I related the conversation we had had earlier. With each word, her face grew redder and redder. When the waiter came with our drinks, she grabbed my whiskey and gulped it down before handing it back to the waiter for refilling.  
She coughed demurely into her hand and then looked at me, "Repeat that."  
I filled a cup with sake and handed it over to her, before downing one myself. "You heard it as it happened. That is why I stormed out."  
Rei blinked, "Jeez, I felt that guy was creepy. Now I know why."  
I smirked, "It gets better. I think he threatened to ruin me somehow." "A difficult task at best, but Fukui-san is a powerful man."  
I shrugged, "We are entrenched. If he wants to take us out, he's going to have to work at it." I felt a devilish smile crease my features, "Of course, then I'll get Ishigaki-san to revoke his export licenses."  
Rei coughed, "You're insane. But I can't believe, that....that CREEP!"  
I nodded and took another sip of alcohol, "It was messy. I am sorry that you had to get involved."  
She shook her head, "It certainly wasn't your fault. We'll find another client."  
"I know....but I still feel rotten about leaving it the way that I did."  
"Kaitou-san, what are you worried about?"  
"I let my personal feelings get in the way of a business deal. There are dozens of ways I could have exited that conversation better than I had. People won't be getting as much as they deserve this Christmas. Hiring will be stalled for a while. I failed my employees, whom I have an obligation to protect."  
  
Rei would have called it a breakdown, but she knew the man across from her too well for those crass terms. It was cathartic, for Ryan Kaitou would vent, then wake up in the morning ready to do battle again. But everyone needs a little reassurance sometimes.  
She took a sip of her sake, then unconsciously let her hand snake across the table and grasp mine. "Mr. Kaitou...Ryan. You are one of the few men I know that worries not about whether he is doing the right thing, but rather if he is doing enough of the right thing. You are kind, courageous, and ethical. We are lucky to have you as our leader. I am lucky to have you, both as my mentor and protector." Unbidden, the unspoken words wormed their way into her mind. 'And if I were to find someone like you to spend my life with, I should die a very happy woman.'  
Rei blushed a little then withdrew her hand.  
  
I smiled at her. At that moment, I knew what Dana had seen in her. I reached out to take her hand in mine, "Thank you, Rei. I really do appreciate the vote of confidence."  
She blushed again. "It's my job. Just don't get your ego too bloated over it. Dana and I might have to take you to task again."  
I pulled back, pretending to be shocked, "No fair, two against one!"  
"Complain, complain, complain. That's all you ever do."  
Shrugging, "That and get drunk."  
"Too true. So what do we do now?"  
I pulled a cigarette out of my pocket and lit it up, "We failed our people. The greatest and most dignified testmonial we can give them is to continue working to improve our and there lots in life. We can't win them all."  
"No we can't." Rei snatched the cigarette out of my mouth, "But we can try our best, ne?" 


	21. Chapter 21

-  
Chapter 21  
  
Ami threw her hands up in dismay, "We've completely lost track of him. California, then gone! He could be in Tahiti for all we know."  
Michiru grimaced slightly, "I have not been able to pick him up the mirror either. We may have to write him off."  
The two other senshi at the table, Rei and Usagi, sighed. It was hopeless. Two weeks and no trace whatsoever.  
Mamoru, instead, looked very pensive.  
Usagi reached under the table to grab his hand, "What's on your mind, sweetie?"  
He lied to her easily, "Trying to reverse engineer this guy. He's a tricky bugger. The only constant we have is that he shows up every time a youma makes a move."  
Rei laughed, "So what, we just predict the next time a youma shows up and then we corner him?"  
They were still arguing when the other senshi began to trickle in. First, Haruka and Hotaru, then Minako from parts unknown, then Makoto from her job.  
Usagi coughed, bringing the room to attention in an instant, "So I've gathered you here today to discuss a very important matter. Graduation. Soon. Party. Then wedding. Bigger party. We have to get planning!"  
Haruka muttered in a low voice, "We can tell what's on her mind."  
Usagi smiled gloriously, "Of course. I'm not going to let something small like saving the world get in the way of couple of good parties."  
The night ended in bantering good humor, with deathly competition over who would be the maid of honor.  
Mamoru looked on quietly, his mind on a rendezvous later that night.  
  
Staring at the widescreen TV in the corner, I sipped my beer and resisted the urge to light up. I found that they actually fuzzed up my brain when I was alert. Which told me, I needed to get more drunk.  
"This seat taken?" The ever youthful figure of Mamoru Chiba crossed into my field of vision.  
"Never for a friend. How are you doing?"  
"Not bad. Finals are horrendous, but what can one do?"  
I smiled, "I can't believe you chose medical school."  
He shrugged, "It's a calling. Primum no nocere."  
"Do no harm? I am hoping that oath is somewhat selective in its targets."  
Mamoru shrugged, "I will be a doctor, with the requisite duties."  
The barkeep sauntered over, "What's your poison?" "Merlot, '57." The bar keep looked at me a little questioningly.  
I glared at him, "He means a Heineken." After the tender had left, "You don't hang out in bars all that much do you?"  
"Med student remember?"  
"And all the girls you hang out with?"  
He chuckled, "Those too. So I need a tutorial on this."  
I grinned, "Alright. When you go to a bar, you order a beer or a hard drink. Because you're new, we'll stick with beer.  
"Next, you affect some sort of pose. You can either slump over and look depressive or you can be laughingly drunk. Or you can stare the screen and cheer for whatever team is on."  
"And what about sketchy meetings?"  
"Then you do you best to look suspicious. Then there will be pointless speculation and that's always fun. What do you have for me?"  
Mamoru sipped at his beer and then stared at it for a moment, "This is pretty good. Anyway, you've hidden your tracks amazingly well. They can't find you."  
"My job. I don't want them to find me."  
"And they'll be looking out for you at the next youma attack. I would suggest lying low for a while."  
I sighed, "You know I can't do that."  
He stared at me, "And why not?"  
"Look, I can respond faster than all of you. It is essential that I be there."  
"Is it worth blowing your cover?"  
"If it saves the life of a single innocent, then it is worth it."  
Mamoru grimaced, "I can't convince you, can I?" "Not at this point, no. Although I might be inclined to grant your offer for a small favor."  
"What might that favor be?"  
"What sort of flowers does Rei like? I am told that her graduation is soon and that I am invited."  
Mamoru thought for a moment, "Casablanca lilies. She absolutely adores those." He paused for a moment, "What's going on between you two? Everytime I see her, it's 'Ryan said this' or 'Ryan once said.' She's getting rather attached to you."  
I raised an eyebrow, "I have no idea what you're talking about. At the most, we're friends. That's okay with me, I try to be friends with all my employees."  
He peered at me questioningly, "Just be wary. Rei forms strong attachments. Lemme tell you about the time she had a crush on me."  
Gawking, "Wait, what? How did I miss this?"  
"Well, you were evil and stupid, so you can be forgiven."  
Sarcastically, "Thanks. I appreciate your indiscriminate dispensation of justice."  
"Hey, who's royalty here?"  
I smirked and took another sip of my drink, "That you are. I trust that someday it will actually mean something."  
Mamoru laughed heartily, "Tell me about it. Do you know how hard it is to work for a living?"  
"My heart bleeds for you." I stretched out tiredly, "Someday, I'll suppose we'll get used to it."  
He laughed again, "Let's hope so. I'll soon have a family to support."  
Perking up, "Speaking of royalty, when are you and Lady Serenity getting married?"  
"Usagi Tsukino. And soon, probably a month and a half. They're starting to plan already."  
I shrugged, "Trust me, they've been planning for months. It'll take a load off your back. Just stand around, looking pretty, and it will all work out."  
We chatted about a few other choice topics. As much as we both enjoyed the time together, we knew that it would serve another purpose. It would establish our relationship as two friends who met in a bar thus making it easier for me to interact with him on a regular basis. And though he would dislike it if I said so, it was also a way for me to keep tabs on the vaunted Tuxedo Mask and make sure that he wasn't doing anything particularly stupid.  
"Tell me something, Mamoru. It's been bugging me with for a very long time, and I'm wondering if you could give me some satisfaction."  
"Yeah?"  
I leaned forward, "What's up with the roses?"  
He feigned innocence, "What ever could you mean? They're r oses."  
"Come on. They aren't just roses. Lest we forget, these roses drive through concrete with relative easy."  
Mamoru leaned forward and pulled one out of the air. He swiveled it around to let me see the tip. It sparkled in the half light.  
"Metal?"  
"Titanium. Don't ask me how or why, because I'm a little confused about it myself. But whatever works, right?"  
"Indeed." I fidgeted a little and then sighed in defeat. Pulling out of a cigarette from my pocket, I lit up and inhaled deeply.  
The doctor-in-training looked at me sternly, "Those are bad for you."  
"And fighting random monsters on a regular basis isn't? Trust me, I have given careful thought to every aspect of my nicotine addiction. Weighed the possible outcomes."  
"And?"  
"And rejected every reasonable alternative. As you know, smoking is not rational in the slightest, for my dignity, sexual attractiveness, and budget."  
"How many are you up to?"  
"Maybe a pack a day."  
He looked me up an down with an appraising eye, "You don't look it."  
I chuckled painfully, "That's because I smoke maybe half a actual cigarette each pack."  
"How did-? Ah, Rei?"  
"That woman is costing me an arm and a leg."  
"And relieving this poor doctor's ulcer. Listen to your secretary, Ryan."  
I rose to leave. Dropping a couple of bills on the bar, I smiled ruefully, "As if I had a choice."  
  
The next morning found me in my office. The pendulum clock, a new addition to the spartan workspace, chimed 6:00 AM in the morning. I yawned silently and took a sip of my coffee.  
"Late night?"  
I stared at my paperwork, then gave up with a sigh, "Early morning."  
Dana laughed tiredly, and took a sip of her own drink, brewed coffee with five packets of instant and three teaspoons of sugar. She called it the Randy Savage because of the kick it gave her in the head. "You really ought to sleep more. Those nights in the bar will catch up with you some day."  
I decided to take the offensive, "You aren't looking all that chipper either."  
"Bah, I'm an old woman."  
I raised my eyebrows, "Well, not if you listen to Andy tell it."  
She sputtered over her coffee spilling a couple of drops onto my desk. Dana looked at me accusingly, but before she could respond, I launched into another. "So, are you living together yet?"  
She picked up a pencil and hurled it at my head, then smiled beautifically, "He's such a great guy. I even met his parents when they came to visit him."  
"How did his parents respond to him having a white girlfriend?"  
"Surprisingly well, I think. Andy said that they told him afterwards to marry me at any cost. Not your typical Asian parents I might think."  
I scanned some more paperwork, "Just remember, I get to godfather the first child."  
"No freaking way. I won't have you corrupting my children."  
"Me? Corrupt? I am shocked and appalled that you would think that me, your dearest friend, would ever-"  
"Try to corrupt a child? Trust me, I would."  
I laughed until my belly hurt and continued to scan the reports on my desk. "I'm happy for you Dana. Of course, I have to say, it's about freaking time already."  
"You're one to talk! You haven't had a steady girlfriend since college! Although the way things are going with Rei, that might not be the case any longer."  
I shook my head with disbelief, "Am I the only sane one here? There's nothing happening, nor will anything ever happen."  
Dana returned to her papers, "As they say, proximity makes for excellent relationships."  
"Hey, I never dated you."  
"That's because I'm too good for you."  
I chuckled, "Are you implying that Rei is just good enough?"  
"No, she's too good for you too. But she might take pity on you anyway."  
It was my turn to toss a writing implement her way. She giggled like a schoolgirl and settled down to finish up her early morning work. I smiled and returned my attention to my own.  
The past weeks had been quiet. Nary a youma had appeared and I was tempted to relax my guard a little bit.  
But it was an old ruse, one I had used many times myself, not as Beryl's general, but in the employ of one Endymion. The Earth Kingdom had not been the most idyllic place. The feudal system had bred numerous enemies to the crown and it was my job to root them out and destroy them. A black ops guy in the modern parlance.  
If they resumed their attacks soon, as I expected hey would, it would speak volumes to the existence of a higher intelligence behind them. Of course, if such a power existed, it would make my life significantly more difficult than it needed to be. Nonetheless, I would do what I needed to, whether that involved fighting, killing, or wholesale assassination.  
The clock chimed again, 7:00 AM. Had an hour gone by that quickly? I shook my head and took a sip of the now tepid coffee and signed a couple of papers. I had a conference call in less than an hour and would have to work through another stack of files before being ready.  
I had given Rei the week off to study for her final exams, but that was decision was coming back to haunt me. She had become an integral part of my office and now the fact that I had to read over entire summaries was causing me to fall farther and farther behind. Even a cigarette could not solve that problem.  
In the middle of my reverie, the lights flickered a couple of times and then went out. 


	22. Chapter 22

-  
Chapter 22  
  
A faint trace of fear creased Dana's face. "What was that?"  
My face grew hard, "I have no clue. But I think I ought to find out."  
"Ryan, not again-"  
I looked at Dana and flashed her a smile. "I'll be fine. Trust me."  
I exited into the hall and began to walk towards the elevator. The ground rumbled slightly and my magical awareness began to bombard me with signals of imminent danger. I whispered an arcane spell and pulled a long black cloak and sword from a dimensional pocket. Swathing myself in the cloak, I pulled the sword out of its scabbard and the dagger from the bottom. I had the sneaking suspicion that I might need both in the coming fight.  
  
As the elevator counted down the floors, I grew more and more apprehensive. I knew there was danger. I could feel it in my bones. But of what sort I could not fathom. The elevator door dinged open and I stepped out into the open lobby, a place familiar to me as a battleground. I could not see any bodies around, thankfully due to the early hour of the disturbance.  
I did however, see my target. Three of those malevolent man-at-arms stood around, looking somewhat confused as to their next moves. The early hour meant that not many were in the building, not even the security team.  
I grinned and called out, "Looking for someone?"  
They turned, staring at me with glowing recessed eyes. "General?"  
I was taken aback by the title, "And if I am?"  
"We are here for you  
I flipped the dagger around in a backhanded grip and smiled devilishly, "You will have to work at it, then."  
The first came at me, swinging high with a massive war hammer. I ducked easily and moved on to engage the next. He dodged back, every bit as nimble as I was, trying to ward me off with an energy based polearm of some sort. I backstepped quickly, just in time to dodge the crashing sword of the third.  
I smiled arrogantly and stabbed out quickly, catching the swordsman in the arm. As he howled in pain, I closed the distance and thrust my dagger as deeply as I could into the s lits of his helmet. The creature howled in pain, clutching at the gruesome implement that stuck out like some grotesque mechanical appendage. The other two backed away slightly, unwilling to test the skilled fighter in their midst.  
I twirled the sword around my hand, matching their silence with a bloodthirsty grin. "Easy as sneezing."  
They seemed reluctant, so I casually walked over to their fallen comrade and pulled the dagger from his head. I started to flick the greenish blood off the blade, then stopped as I saw it evaporate quickly. I pointed it at the hammer warrior. "You next."  
He had the luxury of the first move, an arcing swing to bring a smashing and fight ending blow onto my vulnerable head.  
I muttered softly, "Amateur."  
I stepped out of range, letting the hammer spend its energy on the tiled floor. With all inertia gone in a jarring blow, I hacked at the attackers torso, feeling the blade cut through the plate mail easily. The armored warrior staggered back a step before collapsing from wounds that would have instantly killed any human.  
The polearmist sensed a chance and lunged for the kill. I spun, batting away the outstretched blade then tossing my dagger at him in a vain attempt to end the fight once and for all.  
However, he was too savvy for that and easily deflected it with the bottom of his polearm. But, I, too, realized the futility of the throw and moved accordingly. When his attention was focused onto the dagger, I closed the distance and buried my sword up to its hilt into his torso.  
I trembled faintly from the exertion and to this day, swear that the youma was smiling at me.  
It fell noiselessly to the ground, the blade freeing itself in the process. I half smiled then jogged over to retrieve my dagger. I was halfway there when a terrible feeling draped itself over me.  
I leapt backwards just in time to see Sailor Mars lunge at me, her hand outstretched with one of those paralysis charms she always carried. I felt a trace of fear surge through me, but pushed it aside. For where there is one senshi, there are always more following.  
When I landed, I blocked her outstretched arm, keeping it away from me at all costs. She grappled with me willingly, whispering underneath her breath, "In the name of Mars, I will stop you."  
Not even bothering to reply, I trapped the hand carrying the ofuda and drove my finger into a pressure point. She shrieked in pain and dropped it to the ground. I shoved her back away as far as I could without hurting her, only to clash with another Sailor Senshi. This time, I was nearly driven into the floor.  
She swung her blade expertly, hacking at my sword savagely, "In the name of Uranus, I will-"  
I snarled at her, "Save it," I disengaged quickly scampering over to my dagger on the floor. I could sense other senshi around me, but little time to gain my hearings before.  
"Venus Love Me Chain!" Without thinking, I hurled myself to the left, feeling the wind rush by me. A freight train missed, but not quite the end of my troubles.  
  
He was fast. Too damned fast in her opinion. Rei felt her hand gingerly, then flexed it a couple of times.  
Sailor Jupiter came over to apprise the situation, "No permanent disability?"  
"No, though I don't doubt that he could have if he wanted to."  
"Good for him. Luckily, we don't want to kill him, just disable him." Her voice scaled up into a thunderous yell, "Supreme Thunder Dragon!"  
A bolt of lightning snaked out to touch the cloaked figure, but he managed to dodge the attack. Sailor Neptune tried her best, but she too managed to miss hitting him by a hair. Haruka took a far more direct method, clashing with the sword again and again, trying to wear him down.  
Rei smirked and pulled another ofuda from the air. This time she wouldn't fail.  
  
She was stronger, less inhibited, and just as fast as me. And now she had me trapped while trying to ward of her vigorous assaults. I think her name was Sailor Uranus.  
I felt another stab of danger and knew that if I did not act in a second, I would have my back on the ground with a bunch of grim faced ladies surrounding me.  
Instead of blocking her next attack, I deflected it to the side and kicked her as hard I could in the stomach. She went flying across the room and smashed into a pillar-  
  
-she knew that she had him right where she wanted. He turned to block her again, but it was too late for anything fancy. The cloaked man fell back under her weight and they tumbled for a bit. His hand wrapped strongly around hers bearing the ofuda, while his other gripped the sword for dear life.  
Rei lost track of the fight for a moment, trying to touch the paper to his body, if only for a moment.  
Then all of sudden he was behind her. Her ofuda arm was pulled across her body where it could not touch him and his sword had found his way underneath her neck.  
He breathed heavily. "Now, we talk."  
  
I pulled Sailor Mars closer to me, to better use her to shield me from any overly ambitious senshi attacks. It served its purpose and the rest of them backed up slightly.  
I spoke softly into Rei's ear, "I would be much obliged if you dropped the charm to the floor."  
Given her situation, she showed admirable poise and control, "And if I do not?"  
"Then I will be forced to separate your hand from your wrist. I am quite averse to being paralyzed. Does bad things for digestion, you see. You certainly understand that it's nothing personal."  
She almost smiled and let the ofuda waft to the floor. "Now what?"  
"Now we wait for Sailor Moon."  
A minute passed before the senshi leader arrived with the rest of the warriors. Her eyes widened at the unsavory situation, then was calmed by an almost imperceptible nod of the head from Sailor Mars.  
I counted silently, "There are seven of you." The one that had tried to smite me in the name of Uranus spat out, "There are only seven of us. Get to the point."  
I gazed at her calmly, "I think not. There are eight, last I counted. Which means that one is sneaking up behind me right now." I turned my attention to Sailor Moon, "Call off the eighth, or I will slit this one's throat."  
She hesitated for a moment too long, and I let my voice fall a decibel and essayed up a chilling smile, "Do you think I'm joking?"  
I moved the blade an inch closer to Rei's neck. "Try me."  
Usagi breathed in deeply and sighed, "Alright. You win."  
The eighth senshi moved into my vision. She wielded a wicked looking glaive, complementing her aura of absolute calm. I was glad I did not have to tangle with her.  
The leader looked at me calmly, "What do you want?"  
I smiled slightly, "I could ask you the same thing. Your senshi attacked first."  
Sailor Moon's eyes went wide, "Indeed? I remember ordering no attack."  
"Then I suggest you remember quickly. Because one most certainly happened."  
A senshi in orange, that I identified as Sailor Venus, "Princess, I ordered this attack. We did not mean to harm him, but I believe that we needed to find out his stance on us."  
I glared at her, "You could have asked nicely."  
"We tried to contact you. You certainly recall Tuxedo Mask following you?"  
I let my gaze convey surprise, "Really now? I recall him chasing me through Tokyo."  
Icily, "Enough." Sailor Moon assumed the authority of Serenity, "Do you mean us harm?"  
Rei tensened, but I tightened my grip, "Princess, I mean no one harm save for those who would cause it themselves."  
Usagi looked at me, "Then why have you taken her hostage?"  
"Because, while I trust you personally, Princess Serenity, I have my doubts about the others."  
She perked up at the careful enunciation of her name, "How do you know that name?"  
I gazed at her, "Because I do. Please let me go, Princess."  
"One more question. Who are you?"  
I grimaced and I knew that she could tell despite the swathed clothes. "You don't want to know the answer to that question."  
She inclined her head gracefully, "Then you have my promise that none of those assembled will fight or follow you when you leave."  
I nodded, "Then that is assurance enough for me." I lifted the blade and spun a surprised Sailor Mars around in a semi-dance move. Leaning over her gloved hand, I brought it to my clothed mouth for a kiss. "My lady, it has been a pleasure."  
She chuckled quietly, "A gentleman killer. How quaint."  
"The best kind."  
I jogged over to retrieve my fallen dagger, nearest to Sailor Uranus. That earned me a snarl and I grinned before disappearing into the nearest open elevator. 


	23. Chapter 23

-  
Chapter 23  
  
'One more, one more, one more...' Rei thought as she lazily flipped through her modern Japanese culture text. The last of her final exams, she found it difficult to concentrate on it. The adrenaline rush from the fouled up ambush was gone. She knew most the material rather well and could not bring herself to study anymore. The rest of her finals had gone surprisingly well and she estimated that she might actually graduate with honors. Kaitou-san had said that with honors from Tokyo University, she would be able to go to any graduate school in the world.  
At this point though, she had no idea what she wanted to do. She had learned all the means of aggressive management which Kaitou-san had shown to her, and felt a guilty longing to continue on that path. But at the same time, she still felt very strongly about her place in the shrine. The sacred fire was hers to keep up and she could not bear leaving it.  
And then there were dozens of other things she wanted to do. In occasional flights of fancy, she thought about being a model or a singer. There were too many choices, all of them alluring and wonderful to dream about.  
Rei sighed and gazed at the digital clock in the corner of the room. It read 9:15 PM. "So late already?"  
There was a gentle knock on the door and her eyebrow rose. "Now who could be calling on me at such an hour."  
She gathered her robes around herself and slid the door open. In it's place stood a grinning and somewhat dressed down Ryan Kaitou. Rei was taken aback and then bowed deeply, "Kaitou-san, what a pleasant surprise!"  
He smiled nervously, "I came to purchase a good luck charm and your grandfather said you hadn't come out of the room all day. I thought I might come and sneak a peek at what had enthralled you so."  
"Enthrall? Hardly," She tossed the book to her side, "I hate the reading about how many social problems Japan has."  
"Then my timing is perfect. I was wondering if I could pull you away from your studies for a little bit of relaxation. Perhaps a drink or a late snack."  
Rei rubbed her tummy, "Could we make it dinner? I haven't eaten all day."  
He inclined his head graciously, "Dinner it is. In fact, why don't you call a couple of your friends? You've told me about them and I've been dying to meet them. Especially this Minako-chan who you have praised so much for helping you in your job search."  
Rei nodded happily and disappeared into her inner sanctum to change. It would prove to be an interesting night.  
  
Later that night found us in a loud Thai restaurant filled with revelers who could not wait for the weekend to begin. We were not the first to arrive, the vaunted Sailor Moon and her beau were waiting.  
I felt a wide grin crease my face, "Hey, I know this guy!"  
Mamoru stood up, grinning too, "It's a pleasure seeing you again, too, Kaitou-san."  
Rei and Usagi were very surprised, "Wait you two know each other?"  
"Of course, this guy is my football buddy!"  
Mamoru laughed, "We met in an American bar in downtown. We have a certain rivalry going on."  
I turned to Usagi, "And this must be your lovely fiance, Usagi-san. It is a pleasure finally meeting you."  
She allowed me to kiss her hand, "I trust that Mamoru has been completely complimentary about me?"  
"Of course. Although, he did say something about Odango Atama.....now I see the resemblance."  
Usagi whacked him on the arm, "Do you tell everyone you see? You're so mean to me!"  
Rei chuckled, "But it's so easy!"  
I clasped my hands together and bowed deeply, "I apologize wholeheartedly. I did not mean to drive a wedge into future marital bliss."  
The blonde senshi gazed me in the eye and favored me with a generous smile, "I see why Rei likes so. So polite." She gave Mamoru a lovetap in the ribs, "So unlike this bozo."  
Rei suddenly looked over my head and waved to a couple of girls entering the restaurant. "Mako-chan, Ami-chan!"  
I turned to see a familiar tuft of blue hair on the head of the diminuative senshi of water and her tall brunette companion.  
Mako-chan smiled as she stuck her hand out in greeting, "Ah, the infamous Ryan Kaitou! We have heard much about you from Rei."  
I shot an amused glance towards Usagi, "All compliments, I hope?"  
"They are many and profuse."  
"That warms the heart of an old businessman."  
I turned to Mizuno Ami, "And your blue hair gives you away as Ami Mizuno. Pleased to meet you."  
She offered her hand to me and I knelt over it, "A pleasure seeing you again Kaitou-san."  
I cocked my head slightly, "I am afraid you have me at a disadvantage. Have we met before?"  
"Not formally. You were once a speaker for the Caltech Pre-Business society. Angie Darling pointed you out to me when you attended the symphony later that evening."  
I inclined my head, "I do remember that. The best student orchestra I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. How is Angie doing? I still get Christmas cards from her every so often."  
"Just fine. Working at Bell Labs right now."  
I chuckled, "A waste of a brilliant business acumen. Though I see that you have followed her career steps?"  
She smiled, "At least until I can get into a joint MD/PhD program."  
"Research?"  
"I did my thesis on stem cell research for cancer cures."  
I pulled out my wallet and pulled out a business card, "Look, I have a few connections among Biotech companies and research labs. If you ever feel the need, please don't hesitate to call me. Any friend of Rei's is a friend of mine."  
Ami smiled, "Thank you Kaitou-san. I hope I can avail myself of your services some time."  
"I try to be helpful. Occasionally I'm even successful at it."  
The assembled laughed and I wiped away a trace of cold sweat. Rei touched my shoulder encouragingly. I smiled confidently and spoke under my breath, "How am I doing?"  
"Beautifully. Why are you so worried?"  
"I often have a tough time meeting new people."  
"Liar." Rei looked over my shoulder again and waved to a newcomer. "And our final guest is here. Ryan, meet Minako Aino."  
Minako looked me up and down appraisingly, "Pleased to meet you."  
I raised one eyebrow, but decided to pass it over with a charming smile, "Rei tells me you were the one who led her to my company. I am in your debt."  
She giggled softly, "Your debt is to my father. He highly recommends you as a businessman and a mentor."  
"I should have guessed. Of course I know your father. Aino-san at Barclays, I believe? Unfortunately, we do not cross paths nearly as much as I would like." I stared intently into her eyes, "Therefore, I feel it my obligation to discharge my debt to his daughter."  
Minako met the gaze confidently, showing all of the leadership prowess which separated her from many of the other senshi. She was the dangerous one, capable of taking initiative, acting quickly and decisively to make something happen. As evidenced by earlier that day, she was a capable planner, if forgiveably overconfident.  
But most dangerously of all, Minako Aino posessed a deep, animal shrewdness that transcended mere magical awareness. That made her a unique threat. I could not fight her, but I might be able to outmanuever her. It was a long shot, but the only one I had.  
I favored everyone with a gracious smile, "I guess everyone is here. So shall we sit down to order?"  
  
Rei marveled as her boss politely disarmed the defensive mechanisms of each of her friends and soon was chatting with them as if he had known each of them for years. As the appetizers came, he switched tacks to become a gracious host, encouraging each person to eat before he did.  
That was probably a mistake, as Usagi's appetite had not diminished since high school. Soon, Ryan was left looking at a table full of empty dishes. He raised an eyebrow in his characteristic display of surprise then summoned a waiter with more.  
Dryly, "You must have an enviable metabolism."  
Mamoru snorted, "That's the understatement of the day. Would you believe that she's eaten like this since high school?"  
Usagi pretended to be shocked and elbowed Mamoru in the stomach, "Mamo-chan, that's not very nice."  
He rubbed his stomach gingerly, then half grimaced, "She's hit me like that since high school too."  
The rest of the table broke out into a fit of giggles and Ryan looked carefully puzzled, but chose to drop the subject. Rei decided to speak up, "They were not always the greatest of friends."  
"Ah, a little antagonistic love? I am told that is the best sort."  
Mamoru smiled briefly, "No personal experience, Kaitou-san?"  
"Me? In love? That is something I have yet to experience."  
Minako grinned, "Come on, a well traveled, well spoken man like you has never found anyone he could truly spend his life with?"  
Ryan's face turned amusingly glum, "It is the sad truth. Depressing, ne?"  
The usually quiet Ami added in, "Even recently? Certainly there are some possibilities..."  
When he turned his attention toward the blue haired girl, Rei shot a death glare at her. She responded with an innocent smile.  
"Well, Ami-san, I have not been paying attention lately. My life has been a complete mess in the past few months. I just moved here you know."  
Makoto could not resist but add her own two bits, "Ah, but that is precisely why you need a woman in your life. To bring order." Her smile turned faintly evil, "Unless of course you prefer other alternatives."  
Rei would have never thought her boss easy to embarrass. But before her eyes, he turned a little red, before coughing and returning to his normal hues. Smoothly, "No, Makoto-san, I am quite traditional in all respects."  
He shook his head, "I have known you all for thirty minutes and you are already advising me on my lovelife, or lack thereof."  
Rei tapped him on the arm, "But of course. You are a young, very eligible bachelor. I think we are all surprised that you are still single in Tokyo."  
  
"I prefer to think of myself as one of those people who will never get married by choice. You know, a great fish across the mantle, a garage with expensive foreign sports cars and fuel guzzling sports utility vehicles, a bathroom filled with Playboy Magazines. Reading the newspaper and drinking whiskey in the morning. You know, the bachelor's dream."  
The assembled laughed again and I smiled along with them. I loved entertaining guests. It warded off any lingering feelings of loneliness while allowing me to get to know people a little better. In spite of my suspicions, I genuinely liked the senshi. They were good, fun loving people and I could respect them for being honest, upright, and forward with their thoughts and feelings.  
At times, I felt that Minako was interrogating me a little bit, but even she began to have fun as dinner then drinks and desert arrived. We limited ourself to glasses of champagne, given that Rei, Minako, and Usagi had final exams the next day.  
We smiled and made small talk until eleven, when they began to trickle out for sleep. Minako was the second to last to leave. She gave me a big, genuine smile and stuck out her hand. I took it gladly, "I trust that we shall be seeing each other soon?"  
"In the business world? You can count on it."  
She grinned, "We'll cross the paths of mutual profit soon enough."  
As she exited, I waved and stuck my hands in my pockets. I turned and winked at Rei. "How did I do?"  
"Beautifully." Rei siddled up next to me and put an arm around my waist. "I'm really glad that you got along with my friends."  
"Hey, I get along with everyone."  
She rested her head against my side, "Still. You made a special effort. That counts for something more, right?"  
"Certainly, it does." I felt a little warm around the cheeks, "Can I give you a ride back?"  
"No, that's okay. I feel like walking tonight." She absentmindly stood on her toes and gave me a kiss on the cheek and a hug. "Thanks, Ryan. It really meant a lot to me."  
She smiled at me once more and then disappeared out the door. It took me a minute before I realized what she had done. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks and turned to see a lone waiter giving me a slightly dirty look. I grimaced slightly, paid the bill, and exited the building. 


	24. Chapter 24

-  
Chapter 24  
  
I entered the crowded stadium with a mix of apprehension and awe. The place was packed. I had come and gone from a relatively small school, where the graduating class was under fifteen hundred. But there were over six thousand on the stage that night, with tens of thousands more in the stands. I began to wonder what the hell I managed to get myself into.  
A helpful man at the gate had directed me towards a group of reserved seats for dignitaries and their guests. MP Ishigaki had secured the privilege for me and I gladly accepted. However,  
at that point, I was utterly lost, somewhere in primary section something sub section whatever.  
I turned around a couple of times, trying to gain my bearings. I peered at the signs, trying to make some order out of them before wandering in some random direction.  
"Kaitou-san?"  
I turned, surprised at hearing my name, "Hai?"  
A short man, even by Japanese standards, bowed graciously to me, "I have been ordered to help you find your seat."  
I smiled in thanks, "Arrigato, but you see, I am meeting friends-"  
The man looked up at me with a curious smile, "Ishigaki-san insists."  
I chuckled, "Of course. Please lead the way."  
We woved our way through the crowds, doubling back against my original path to a flowery box filled with diplomats, businessmen, and politicians of all sorts.  
Ishigaki-san, against all Japanese tradition, waved at me. I smiled at him and thanked the man who had guided me to the restricted area.  
The Japanese leader stood up and bowed to me. I shifted around the flowers I carried in my hands and bowed in return.  
"So I was sitting here, watching you muddle through the crowd with the same look you had coming into the final exam of my Advanced Macroeconomics class. Your characteristic look of complete bewilderment."  
I smirked, "I still maintain that you made that test too hard simply so that you would not be stuck with me as a thesis advisor in economics."  
"Only partially true. You had gotten A's on every test in my class by the seat of your pants. I felt it my duty to disabuse you of the notion that you can get by in life by cramming the night before."  
"And giving me a C plus on my permanent record." I wrinkled my nose, "Thanks for the lesson."  
The Parliament member turned his attention to the beginning ceremony, "You learned from it, did you not? You are prosperous, successful and still talking to me. I consider that a victory in itself. I'll admit, at the time I didn't think I would get even that satisfaction. My ears still ring from the conversation we had, the day grades came out."  
I chuckled, "I have apologized for that conversation a dozen times. It was a rude shock on my none too impressive report card."  
"You have learned much since I met you first. You have much to be proud of." He raised an eyebrow, "Although you seem to have forgotten some lessons about unnecessary outbursts since Stanford."  
"You heard about Fukui-san?"  
He inclined his head, "Indeed, I have. You were always a hot headed man, Ryan."  
"I don't take suggestions like what he was proposing, lightly."  
"I understand. You are lucky that some of that samurai bushido spirit still remains in the Japanese business world. Many view what you did as quite honorable, for a gaijin."  
Seeing my look of relief, he continued, "Still...I would suggest restraint next time. You are still a relative newcomer, however culturally acclimated you may be. Be wary, my friend."  
I nodded at the sage advice and changed the topic, "So where is Mariko-sama? I thought she might be here with you?"  
He smiled at the thought of his wife, "She could not make it. Currently, she is Nagano taking care of her sick mother. I do miss her. And from your tone, I suspect that you do to."  
I adopted a mirthless smile, "Best tonkatsu I've ever had. Man oh man, what I would give for that again."  
"You, young men, always thinking with your stomachs."  
He wrinkled his nose, "Luckily, I have a dinner meeting tonight, otherwise I might be stuck with cold soba again."  
I chuckled, "Food is indeed the most important of things."  
He gestured for me to sit and took on a slightly evil look in his eyes, much like the predatory glares he favored for his classes, "For old men certainly. But young men are supposed to pursue love. And from the look of the bouquet in your arms, it looks like you may be going courting tonight  
I crimsoned, "They are for a friend."  
"Ah."  
With a single pregnant word, he said more than he had that entire night. It was silent for a moment, then he smiled faintly, "Too bad, I think I might have liked to have you in my family."  
I shook my head and replied in English, "You, sir, are a randy old bugger." Ishigaki smiled enigmatically, "I have been called far worse."  
  
Usagi looked nervous and Rei flashed her a thumbs up. She almost grinned as she took her seat on the stage.  
Rei giggled softly and then sat back for the long ceremony. It would begin early in the day and end around four o'clock. Her name was somewhere in the middle and again at the end, having managed to exit college with a high enough GPA for honors. There would be a convenient break in the middle for lunch and then a rapid continuation of awards and the rest of the graduates.  
She wondered if Kaitou-san was out in the crowd. Of course, she had invited him, but he had been somewhat noncommittal about it. He hadn't known his schedule at the time and she hadn't wanted to press him on the issue.  
Somehow, though, she knew that he was out there. Smiling and probably talking to his neighbor. Trying to find her in the crowd. Rei smiled aimlessly, entertaining her quiet fantasies until she was jerked out of her seat by the annunciation of her name. 'Has it been three hours already'  
She spared a glance at her watch as she walked up to the stage and shook the hands of the Dean of her department and other important figures. As she passed by, Minako, in the front row, whistled loudly, eliciting a round of applause. Her gaze traveled up the aisles in the stadium, eventually reaching a much decorated spectator's box.  
And for a single tantalizing moment she caught a glimpse of Ryan Kaitou, flashing her a heart meltingly charming smile. Rei drank in the praise as she descended the steps, feeling a new energy coursing through her veins.  
  
The rest of the ceremony was quite boring, in my humble opinion. Of course, I had gone through not one, but two of them before, so I was somewhat justified in passing judgement.  
She saw me, waving and smiling at her. For a moment, I relived my own graduation, that night filled with such hope and promise. I knew how it felt to realize that the whole of life was within my grasp if only I should seize it. I could feel the heady atmosphere and reveled in it. And in that single perilous moment when her eyes met mine, I felt a connection. She smiled for me and me alone. 'Why are you doing this to me, Rei'  
Ishigaki was blessedly quiet as he rose with great dignity and left in silence.  
I flipped open my cellphone and dialed Rei's number. She answered gaily, "Kaitou-san! I saw you in the dignitary box!"  
"I was invited to spectate. Where can I meet you? The crowds are already swarming."  
Rei shouted at someone apart from our conversation and then turned her attention to me again, "How about the Botanical Gardens? By the rose beds? Let me just see my grandfather first."  
"I will see you there."  
I flipped the phone closed and I glanced over a map of the campus. Walking quickly, I managed to just miss the rush of people out into the quads to meet and congratulate loved ones. Skirting around the edges, I walked past a couple of student dorms and to the University Gardens. Famous for its Environmental Science programs, the University of Tokyo boasted some of the greatest flowers in the world. I should know. I had specifically visited the gardens to purchase some of their famous Casablanca lilies for Rei. And for a personal touch, I had imported a Hawaiian lei made of rare orchids, which had arrived not a couple of hours before.  
I spotted her perfect figure, standing alone, facing the rows of roses. Silently, I crept up behind her.  
As I approached, she seemed very deep in thought. Her gaze was vacant, though I knew that hid a surprisingly active and flexible mind.  
When I was a mere foot away, I whispered into her ear. "Boo." Rei jumped six inches into the air and broke out into a wide smile, "Kaitou-san!" She hugged me and I was careful to extract myself before the flowers in my arms were crumpled.  
She backed off for, still smiling, and I presented her with the bouquet, "These are for you. I hope you like them."  
"Lilies! Oh, I do like them! Thank you so much, Ryan!"  
I held up one finger to silence her, "I am not finished yet." I lifted the lei off my shoulders and carefully placed them around her shoulders. "This is a California tradition. We always give our graduates Hawaiian orchids."  
Rei lifted the chain to her nose and breathed in deeply the sweet scent, "They're lovely. Where did you get them?"  
I shrugged, "I have my ways. But I am glad that you like them." "Kaitou-san." her voice dropped off slightly, "You are too good to me."   
I knelt over to kiss one of her hands, "I am merely doing what any other friend would do."  
"Not just any friend." She pulled me closer and rested her head against my shoulder, "I am very glad that you came. I know you're busy."  
I smiled and patted the top of her head, "Don't worry about it. I would not have missed it for the world."  
"Hey, Rei!"  
  
He suddenly jerked away, depriving her of the comforting warmth which she had already become accustomed to. She blinked a couple of times and then refocused to see her friends.  
Ryan waved to them, obviously trying to ignore what had just transpired between them. She sighed. She probably should ignore it too. 'Even if I were attracted to him, we could not be together. We work together. Decorum forbids such relationships'  
Her thoughts were further scrambled when she gaved up into his fiery blue eyes, hawklike and perceptive. "Minna-san! Congratulations to all for graduation."  
Usagi smiled at him, "Kaitou-san! You managed to make it! Rei said you might be busy."  
He grinned and winked, "Nothing is more important than a graduation. I remember my own graduation clearly."  
"Your parents must have been very proud."  
He seemed stunned for a moment, then inclined his head a little sadly, "My parents died before I graduated from college. But I would like to think that they still watched me," He looked a little down for a moment, before grinning, "Where are my manners? I loved your speech. It touched me deeply."  
"Why thank you."  
Rei turned to hug her best friend and wave to other senshi who were drawn to the group of friends.  
  
Mamoru grabbed me by the arm and spoke low into my ear, "You are a most convincing liar."  
I grinned, "Whatever could you mean by that?"  
"They died before you graduated?"  
"Technically, not a lie. They did, a millenia or two before."  
"Businessmen." I shook his hand off, "What are you up to, this fine night?"  
"Party, of course. You didn't know about it?"  
I shrugged, "I assumed I wasn't invited."  
"Don't worry, we wouldn't dream of having it without you." He tone held no irony and he smiled charmingly.  
Before I could answer, Rei latched onto my arm again, "Hey, are you coming to the party?"  
"Mamoru just invited me. I am coming, whether you like it or not."  
Rei glared at me, "Normally, I would cripple someone for a comment like that. But I like you, so I'll maim you instead."  
I offered Rei my arm with a debonair wink, "You know, you sound more and more like Dana each day."  
She threaded her arm through mine, "What can I say? I feed off the good influences around me. Not that you've been helping."  
"Ah, so my degenerate nature hasn;t been rubbing off on you? I'm going to have to try harder to make you crack."  
She rolled her eyes, "I'm already about to crack myself. Let's get going already." 


	25. Chapter 25

-  
Chapter 25  
  
"God bless females." Mamoru looked at me with faint amusement, "And why is that?"  
"Because they plan parties for us males to go to." I sipped at my glass and lifted a cigarette to my lips. He gave me a dirty look and then snatched it out of my mouth.  
"No smoke. Bad for corporate leader."  
I sighed, "You too?"  
Mamoru looked at me with visible amusement. He took a drawn out drink, "God bless females. They taught this poor doctor how to smile."  
I glared at him, "So when are you starting your internship?"  
"A month and a half. I'll be an ER internist for a little while, then transfer to my specialty."  
"Cardiology, right? Study of the heart."  
"Ironic isn't it?"  
I shrugged, "Just a little bit."  
A glint of amusment played over his midnight blue eyes and he gazed out the window for a moment. The party was being held in the house of Kenji Tsukino. He had generously donated the use of his backyard and living room for his daughter's graduation party.  
Kenji worked his way into room, wearing the biggest smile I've ever seen on a man. I put my drink down and bowed to him, "Tsukino-san, thank you for the use of your house."  
He smiled at me, "I don't believe we've met before."  
"Ryan Kaitou. A friend of Mamoru's and Usagi's."  
Mamoru piped in softly, "And Rei's date."  
I elbowed him fiercely in the gut and he bent over wheezing. I repeated with a smile, "A friend."  
Kenji, the typical Japanese salaryman, smiled and reached over to shake my hand, "I believe I have heard of you. You are the talk of Tokyo these days."  
I coughed and looked at my shoes, "Hardly my intention at all. I just sometimes lose my temper and make the news."  
He looked me straight in the eye, "What Fukui-san did was...dishonorable. I am not sure that I could have stood up to him like you did. But I am glad that you did. These girls...they are like my daughters. I will not have some lecherous old man try to corrupt them."  
"It is always good to have allies, Tsukino-san."  
"Kenji, please. We are friends after all." Kenji shook my hand again and then wove his way to the kitchen, where I lost sight of him.  
"How do you do that?"  
I turned back to Mamoru, "Do what?"  
"Do you know how long it took me to get to a stage of ceasefire? Let alone calling him by his first name?"  
I took another sip of my wine, "Well, I'm not trying to date his daughter."  
"Point taken. Speaking of which, where are those girls? They're late."  
I glanced at my watch then scanned the room, "You're right. I wonder what could be keeping them..."  
Shrugging, I returned to conversation. I shook a few hands, received a couple of congratulations, and gave out a few business cards. Parties are as much networking events as they are times to have fun. It was a hard learned lesson at university, where I had forged some of my most treasured relationships while drinking morosely at 1 AM in the morning.  
Somehow, for me, it always revolved around alcohol. Not the healthiest of past times by any criteria. But I reflected with a grim smile, one takes what one can.  
I was deeply entrenched in my thoughts, that I didn't even notice Mamoru being pulled from my side by an insistent fiance.  
I felt a nudging in my ribs and turned to see Rei. She was wearing a red cocktail dress, and high heels. I whistled softly and she gave me a dirty look, "Men."  
"See, if you didn't want me to comment, you could have easily worn something more much more modest. Then I wouldn't have said anything, or possibly even recoiled from you. But you decided to wear something cut all high and low. Scandalous , if I might use the parlance. Thus, you must have wanted me to objectify you in some sense. Hence the whistle."   
She looked at me for a moment, "Hentai, baka."  
I chuckled, "So how have you been Rei?"  
"About the same as I was a couple of hours ago. Maybe except without the high. I'm glad you came. It made my day. I usually don't have many people coming to things for me."  
"No parents, no admirers, no lovestruck teenagers completely smitten with the fiery personality that is Rei Hino? I'm shocked, appalled, surprised."  
"Be quiet. No, not too many admirers. Think of how I treat you. I would treat anybody who had a crush on me worse." her voice turned a little cold, "As for my father, he's far too busy to take time out of his life for me."  
"The politician, right?" I shook my head, "I reserve my special hatred for those who don't have time for their children. Which is why I'm not going to have any children."  
Rei shrugged, "I bear no malice towards my father. He's just a limited man." Her smile turned evil, "You better not have children. They might turn out like you."  
"You and Dana both. I can't win."  
Rei grabbed my arm and grinned up at me, "Of course not. You merely need to acknowledge our inherent female superiority."  
  
Unbeknownst to the two, three pairs of eyes were spying on them. Minako tapped a finger to her cheek, "Are you seeing what I am seeing?"  
Mamoru nodded slightly, "I am."  
He grinned, almost idiotically, "They'd make an interesting match."  
Usagi shrugged, "It was inevitable. You've heard how she talks about him. But sometimes, it seems a little like he treats her as if he were a father or an older brother."  
Minako shook her head, "He's fond of her. And I sense a very strong connection between them."  
"Soul mate type stuff?"  
The senshi of love shook her head, "No, nothing that concrete yet. They're kindred spirits. Similar experiences, somewhat similar counterbalancing personalities."  
Mamoru cocked his head questioningly, "What do you mean?"  
Minako folded her hands in front of her, "Well, I don't know him as well as you might, Mamoru. But I can see he's a very cold thinker, much like you. He's passionate but, rational, couching his decisions in carefully contemplative logic.  
"As we all know, Rei's passion tends to interfere with her rationality. When he hired her, it is likely that he sensed in her the counterbalancing forces which makes them such a good business team. Conveniently enough, it also is an almost surefire match made in heaven."  
Usagi thought about that for a second, then seemed to awake with a goofy smile on her face, "How did you manage to know this sort of stuff?"  
The blonde senshi chuckled, "Love sense and all. Never failed me yet."  
Mamoru grinned, "Well, you guys were talking about how Rei was feeling a little lonely in past weeks. I think that he might be good for her."  
Usagi smiled, "Shall we set something up?"  
Minako rubbed her hands together, "It'll be my pet project. I don't have anything to do for the next month or so anyway."  
"Are you sure you can handle it?"  
"Why wouldn't I be able to?"  
"Well, because you've never had any real experience getting people together who didn't hate each other before."  
Minako glared at the joyously smiling couple, "Just because they're more mature than you guys were, doesn't mean that I'm going to have trouble figuring things out."  
  
"You never told me about your parents, Kaitou-san."  
I replied easily, "You never told me about yours either."  
She sat, head on his shoulder. "I guess the topic just never came up."  
Shrugging with my one available shoulder, "There are some topics which should not be breached. Too many sensitive spots to deal with responsibly."  
"Too true."  
We sat in comfortable silence for a few more minutes, before she brought up another subject, "What do you do in your spare time, Kaitou-san? I mean, what little of it you have."  
Chuckling, "Why, I read, Rei-chan. As widely and as fully as I can."  
Her head came up, "Right, I remember Dana telling me to get you into a conversation about Locke or something else. I didn't believe, at the time, that a businessman would make such an effort to be well read."  
"Learn something new each day. But your impressions are overall pretty correct. CEOs are a bunch of the most boring people on earth. But I occasionally like to feel smart."  
She tapped my forehead, "Yes, well sometimes the gears in there don't work as well as they should."  
"Which is why I hired you as my secretary."  
Rei smiled at me, "You know, when you try you can be very flattering." "Yes, when I don't put up too much of a fight."  
"That too. I suppose.....whatever girl gets you will be very very lucky." she sounded a little resigned, almost sad. Then she perked up considerably, "But I have you for the interim. I can live with that." 


	26. Chapter 26

-  
Chapter 26  
  
I rubbed my forehead free of sweat and resigned myself to staring at the ceiling.  
"Is there a problem with the ceiling paint, Kaitou-san?"  
I flopped my head back up and mock glared at Makoto Kino, "Yes, you missed a spot. It's wrecking my dining experience."  
She chuckled softly, "What can I get you today, Kaitou-san?"  
I had become a regular at the restaurant, famous for its careful balancing of fusion and traditional cuisines. Makoto's specialty was Italian food, which she applied the touch of someone who had traveled extensively in tiny villages from Tuscany to Sicily. The brunette sous-chef was a master (mistress?) of all sorts of pasta, which she made by hand.  
"There are so many choices, Kino-san."  
She nodded, "Then might I suggest a meal for you?"  
"As long as it's not too big. You're only feeding one today."  
"I noticed. Where's Rei-chan?"  
"Doing some wedding stuff. Bridesmaid duties and all. I kinda feel bad though that she didn't get maid of honor."  
Makoto nodded, "Well, Ami will do a good job. I would have liked that post myself, but I think the rotational system we've come up with will work out pretty well. I have Minako's wedding."  
I smiled, "Then I don't think you'll have to wait too long for that. She seems to attract followers rather easily."  
She shrugged easily, "I know. But that has nothing to do with the issue at hand. I suggest starting with the bruschetta. I made it this morning, and if I might say so, it is absolutely wonderful."  
"And for the main course?"  
She smiled gloriously, "That's a toughie. The papperdelle is good today, but I would hedge my bets. Ravioli stuffed with goose liver and truffles with a wild duck dressing. Magnifique."  
I handed over the menu, "I leave it to your capable hands, Mako-chan. It's a late lunch, but I trust it will be a good one." She bowed perfunctorily and exited the situation.  
While waiting, I twiddled my thumbs and considered my situation. To my great surprise, Rei seemed to be warming up to me in every way possible. I barely conceive of Rei being attacted to me. In a sense, I still was stuck in narrow mind set of the Dark Kingdom General. The senshi, if not enemies, were still out to get me.  
The sort of schizophrenic way I operated my life would be amusing to an outsider. But as the sommelier came to interogate me on my wine choices, I smiled to myself. Life is too boring without danger.  
Choosing a plain Tuscan wine to complement the semi-peasant fare I had ordered, I returned to my thoughts, aimlessly wondering about business and various items of interest.  
"Kaitou-san, your pasta!"  
Closing my eyes, I inhaled the wonderful fumes of Mako's cuisine. "That's wonderful."  
Makoto grinned, "It's probably my best yet. Mind if I join you?"  
"Not at all." I removed the cork from the bottle of wine and filled her glass. "Are you done for the day?"  
"Yeah. I've prepped about as much as I can and, as you can see, we're not too busy at three o'clock."  
"Just how I like it." I dissected a ravioli and chewed on it slowly. "Mmm.....my complements."  
Makoto raised the glass in a salute, "I thank you. But I feel the need to say that you're an easy customer to please."  
I chewed another piece, relishing the taste, "If you would like criticism, I am not too good at it. Aren't you going to eat?"  
"In a sec." Mako finished off the glass of wine and poured another before drizziling some olive oil and balsalmic vinegar onto her flatbread before attacking it with gusto.  
I washed down another savory mouthful and leaned back, "Wow. You really ought to start your own restaurant. There's no reason to slave away in this place forever."   
"Someday, Ryan." Mako sipped her wine. "When I'm a bit more settled down, have a little experience. Someday."  
I nodded, "If you ever decide you want to, you have your first investor.....provided I have a table reserved."  
"Your wish is my command." She laughed.  
I laughed with her. Of all the senshi, I felt the easiest around her. Her very Western upbringing and easy going nature made it very easy for me to get along with her.  
Her emerald eyes sparkled with a little judicious malice, "So, Ryan-san. What's this I hear about something going on between you and Rei-chan?"  
I coughed and turned red, "Why does everyone ask me that?"  
"Because whether you've noticed it or not, something is going on. She latches onto you when she can get away with it. She really admires you too. Perfect situation, I'd think."  
"Come on. Rei is a great girl. I really like her a lot. But, there is no way that she would ever want to get together with me."  
Mako regarded me with world weary eyes, "If you insist. But I have seen a lot of relationships and yours is far from impossible."  
I shook my head, "Look, nothing is happening. Nothing is going to happen." Wiping my lip, I grinned rakishly, "So what's for dessert?"  
Mako shook her head at me, "You're hopeless. But give it some thought, you hear? She deserves at least that."  
  
I had a late dinner with Minako and her father later that evening. Finally able to pay back the debt, I wined and dined the sandy blond haired man and his daughter.  
In all truth, I didn't like him very much. He was a typical banker, bland and a little stiff, in contrast to his lively daughter. But I smiled all the same, convinced that he liked me and would be insulted if I left to go to the bathroom for an extended period of time.  
"The exchanges are eagerly awaiting your going public."  
I smiled, "I hope so. It means more money for my company. God knows we need it."  
"When are the depository reciepts coming out on the Nikkei? The sales and trading people have been salivating over it."  
"I am not sure. You'll have to consult with Blackstone on that."  
Minako rolled her eyes slightly, perhaps sensing my slight discomfort with her father. "Dad, why don't you get us a couple of drinks? I'll have a martini."  
He looked down disapprovingly, "Are you sure you should be drinking, young lady?"  
"Dad! I'm old enough to drink responsibly."  
His eyes flickered towards me for support and I shrugged helplessly. "Sorry, I knew her first."  
He grumbled under his breath, something about kids these days.  
Minako gave me a look filled with pity, "Gomen for Dad. He's not the most interesting, articulate person ever."  
I inclined my head gracefully, "Nonsense. Compared to most, he's actually not that bad. I think its the environment. Which makes me wonder why you want to be an investment banker."  
She chirped happily, "It's the salary, of course! Besides, it was a job I got, as opposed to one I wanted."  
"We take what we can get, I suppose."  
"Yes, well...in a sense, I am almost sorry that I gave Rei-chan the contact to your job. From what I hear, it's stuff I'd like to be doing."  
"Come now, Minako-san, it is a poor time for jealousy."  
She giggled, "I know, but the grass is greener and all. And think of her perks. Free lunches and possibly dinners. More on the job experience than anyone could ever need. Constant eyecandy."  
After I began to understand what she said, I let my jaw drop and my eyes widen, "You can't say that! I'm too old for you anyway."  
Her voice turned joking, "Darn. And here I was thinking that I might be able to steal you from Rei."  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
Minako's smiled turned not a little bit evil, "Precisely as it sounds."  
"I know what you're thinking. I know because the same thing has been related to me by Makoto and Mamoru. I'm even willing to bet that you've had something to do with it. You're a sly one."  
Her voice cut through the noise of the restaurant, "You do me too much credit, kind sir. I am merely a helpful advocate for you."  
"There is nothing going on. Nothing at all! I just want to know why people keep asking me about it?"  
She shrugged easily, "Whatever you say, Kaitou-san. Because I certainly didn't bring it up. You did."  
"You are an exasperating young lady. If you ever consider a career change, come see me. I could use someone like you."  
"I shall keep that in mind. But it would be discourteous for me to change from the subject at hand, you and Rei."  
I grimaced as my bribe attempt failed, "As I've said, nothing has happened. I hope nothing ever does."  
"And why is that Kaitou-san?"  
I hesitated, "I have baggage. Rather cumbersome baggage. Rei deserves far better than me."  
"That's not for you to decide. That's her choice."  
"I will not permit it, Minako-san." I paused, "I suppose I should have asked you earlier, but can I ask you to keep this conversation private?"  
"You have my word, Kaitou-san."  
  
The room was dark and the drink strong, which relieved the headache that had mounted in his head from too many conversations about Ryan and Rei.  
No matter how hard he tried, it was there. It was impossible to eradicate, impossible to fight. He knew it remained within him, that tiny spark of fear in his heart. He feared the senshi with every fiber of his being, despite his willingness to interact with them daily. It was difficult. He had not purged himself totally of his nemesis, the weak Dark Kingdom general Jadeite of which he had been born. Until he did, he could not totally give himself over to the light. It was his greatest flaw, a weakness that prevented him from embracing his humanity to it fullest.  
Silently, he drank himself into a stupor, passing out from the hard liquor, prefering the jumbled thoughts of an alcoholic to facing the reality of his situation.  
'Down this path lies madness.' 


	27. Chapter 27

-  
Chapter 27  
  
"I'm worried about Rei."  
I shredded a couple of papers, "You too? She's been very quiet these days."  
Dana snorted and scribbled down something onto a pad of paper, "Quiet? Try depressed. Ryan, I'm really worried about her."  
The morning sun had just peaked out from behind the skyscrapers and Dana and I were on our usual schedule, 6:00 AM meetings. I reflected for a moment on Dana, who had mastered the human resources department with two months of arrival and now had taken over leadership of the business development department after an unfortunate resignation had left us in the lurch. She was working fourteen hour days, and loving every moment of it. And yet, she still managed to find time to find out the nitty gritty things about my personal life. It never ceased to amaze me.  
"Do you have any idea what for?"  
"Well, I imagine she was disappointed from not getting the maid of honor thing. But I would hardly think that a small thing like that would sink her."  
"Yeah, I know. But something is bugging her badly. Can you find out?"  
"That depends boss."  
"Depends on what?"  
"Whether I get my promised raise."  
I smirked, "Already ahead of you. I have already authorized a twenty percent increase plus bonus. You also get off 6:00, just in time to catch the tail end of happy hour. I expect results."  
Dana sat back, a satisfied smile on her face, "Alright, boss. Tonight we'll see."  
  
"Rei, I need those status reports on my desk in about twenty minutes."  
Rei stared forward, not responding to the stimulus.  
I leaned forward and tapped her on the forehead. She jerked up, awoken from her trance, "Sorry, Kaitou-san? What?"  
I shook my head, "Take the rest of the day off. You're not your usual perky self."  
She mustered up enough energy for a smile."Perky? That's Odango Atama, not me."  
I shuffled a couple of papers, "Nonetheless. You're obviously not feeling completely well. You should go back home and relax or something."  
"No, Kaitou-san. You told me how much you got behind when I left for a week. Would you be willing to risk that again?"  
"I would liquidate this business if I felt it would make you smile again." I said with deadly seriousness.  
"I-" She choked up a little bit and I smiled bravely, though it hurt me to see her like that, "I guess I'll be heading home. Thanks, sir."  
"Thanks, Ryan" I corrected gently, "I do this as your friend. Not as your boss."  
Rei cracked a half smile, "My friend wouldn't be able to get my boss to let me go home early."  
I looked down at my paperwork, "This friend has undue influence over your boss. Go on, get home or to a bar or something."  
  
As Rei left the executive office area, she heard a voice calling out to her, "Rei-chan!"  
She turned and a rare smile blossomed on her face as she saw Dana catching up to her, "Dana-san! How are you doing?"  
"Not bad. The old slave driver let me go home early for the day." Dana said jokingly. "You?"  
"He said I looked a little down and should go home and rest."  
"Bah, you're young. I suggest a bar. Salvation is much better found at the bottom of a bottle."  
"That sounds....irresponsible."  
"I think we're both entitled to a little irresponsibility after a full day of being responsible corporate citizens. Come on. I'm buying."  
Rei smiled at Dana's cheerful insistence, "Alright. I suppose that one could not hurt."  
  
Admittedly, Rei regarded the surroundings with a little bit of apprehension. Dana had driven her into a seedier part of Tokyo (or as seedy as Tokyo can get), deep within the brothel district. There, she had stopped in front of a somewhat ramshackle building. Surprisingly, a valet appeared almost out of nowhere to take Dana's keys.  
Dana got out of the car, and stretched before beckoning to Rei. Rei grabbed her purse and followed Dana into the building.  
What she stepped into was a pleasant surprise. It was opulent, with warm mahogany paneling covering the entire room. Dimmed lights were suspended from the ceiling and placed at each corner, giving the room a wonderfully subdued glow.  
Tables were scattered around the center On the sides were partially hidden booths, covered in deep shadows. A few denizens were already there, along or talking with others in low voices. Dana held up her hand, signalling to the bartender for two drinks to be brought to a sidebooth.  
After they were seated, Rei leaned forward and said in a low voice, "How did you ever find this place?"  
"It's a good spot for those of us who like to drink in relative silence. Or are prone to getting morosely drunk."  
Wryly, "Then it should be perfect for me."  
They sat in comfortable silence for a couple of minutes until Dana's order arrived. She sipped at her mai tai and gestured for Rei to start on hers. Rei cautiously took a sip of hers and recoiled slightly, "It's a little strong. I can feel it burning on the way down."  
Dana smirked, "That means it's working. Ryan must have indoctrinated you in the use of alcohol as an escape."  
Rei frowned, "One of his less savory habits. But at least he stays within reasonable limits. But we didn't come her to talk about Ryan, did we?" Her voice expressed that she had detected Dana's ulterior motives.  
"I've been worried about you lately. Ryan's said you've been depressed."  
"He noticed..." Rei stared into her drink before taking another gulp.  
Dana picked up on the slip and peered at her over her reading glasses, "That's it. I'm tired of not knowing. What's going on between you two? He's managed to dodge every single question I've thrown at him, so I've come to you. Is that why you're depressed? Is he treating you badly? That bastard, I'll kill-"  
"No, no...it's nothing like that." Rei cracked a smile, "Besides I wouldn't want you to kill him over me. Not when you have so many better reasons."  
"Too true. But seriously, what's happening between you two?"  
Rei shrugged helplessly, "Kami-sama, it is hard to explain."  
"Try me."  
"Dana, he's just such a wonderful person. Like the time he stood up to Fukui-san. He let a deal fall through because he knew it would be wrong to continue."  
Dana chuckled softly, "That's Ryan for you. Stubborn as a mule and ethical to a fault."  
"I was surprised men like him still exist."  
"At times, I feel that he's a dinosaur, a deliberate quotation of another age. He's a rare bird. Almost like he has something to prove by it."  
"-and sometime right after, I just began feeling all this strange feelings of warmth around him. He has those quirky smiles, like when he knows something that you don't. Or when he winks at you in the middle of department meetings at how boring they actually are. Or when he's giving a speech and looks at you straight in the eye and you know he's speaking to you at that instant."  
"Oh, you LIKE him, don't you." Dana grinned lopsidedly.  
Rei flushed, "Wait, no...I mean, no!"  
"Aww come on, you can admit it to me. I'll even admit that he's really, really cute."  
She looked flustered and even a little pained, "I don't know how I feel about him. Sometimes he's just so distant, like a boss. But other times, when he holds me....I feel like he's all mine, if only for an instant."  
"And that's why you've been so moody lately. Because you're in love with him."  
Rei gulped down the rest of her drink and looked close to tears, "I just don't know....it's so hard to figure him out."  
Dana took Rei's hand in hers and smiled bravely, "I've been Ryan's friend since I got out of college. I know most of signals, secret signs, the meanings of his grins. But in my years, I've never seen him act like this."  
"What does it mean, then?"  
"Why the simplest explanation of all. I think he's in love with you, just doesn't know it yet."  
Rei sighed, "How do you know? What if it's just a dream on my part?"  
Dana smirked, then softened it into a smile, "If it is, then he doesn't know what he's missing. But, I would be greatly surprised if I was wrong. Come on, I'll take you home. You can sleep on it."  
Rei got up shakily, drained and slightly intoxicated. Leaving behind a mostly full drink, Dana signalled to the barkeep to put it on her tab and helped Rei out the door.  
"There seems to have been a lot of alcohol in those." Rei slurred at she was helped through the door, "And why is it that you don't seem to be affected?"  
"High tolerance. Come on kid."  
  
I was actually home early finishing up a speech to be given at a meeting of business software companies in California. It would not be for a couple of weeks, but I wanted to be ahead of schedule on something for once in my life. But as with many things in my life, it was not going well. Recent consolidations had erased ten percent of the membership and not enough startups had survived the last economic implosion to make up for the loss. But, an old classmate was president of the industry association and had pegged me as the keynote. It would have been difficult to refuse.  
Yet, that was not the reason why I found it difficult to write. Dana had promised to visit at 9:30 and I wanted to be in a place with much alcohol within easy reach. The door chimed insistently and I carefully saved my work before answering.  
The door swung open and Dana tossed her purse onto my couch, "Hey boss."  
"When did I give you my key?"  
"You didn't, I made a copy when you were in the office. Always convenient being able to search your home at will."  
"Whatever. What did you learn?" I flopped down onto my easy chair.  
Dana took the time to pour a drink and hand it to me before sitting down herself.  
I gulped and set the alcohol aside, "Should I be worried?"  
"Not really, but I figured that you hadn't had your nightly fix yet."  
I placed the drink on the able beside me, "Not quite yet, so what have you learned?"  
Dana shrugged, "She's just been feeling under the weather lately. Nothing to worry about. I would be extra nice to her though. Buy her some flowers. Take her out for a nice dinner some time. She's really very fond of you."  
"Will do. I feel terrible that she's been down so much lately, especially with her friend's wedding coming up."  
"Hey, there's an idea. You should ask her to dance a couple of times. No reason that such a pretty girl should go unaccompanied to a wedding."  
"But she's a bridesmaid. She'll have an escort."  
"Steal her away. I'm sure she'll appreciate it."  
"Whatever you say, Dana. I want to make her feel better."  
  
Dana exited the apartment, begging off staying longer with the excuse of needing to sleep. He hadn't completely believed her, but that didn't matter too much. After she escaped to the elevator, a curious smile crossed her face.  
In his own way, Ryan was far too easy to manipulate into doing things. But, she reflected with a cheerful smile, it would be used to a good cause this time. It was a somewhat dishonest, but occasionally such things needed to be done in light of a greater cause. Getting Ryan and Rei together certainly qualified. 


	28. Chapter 28

-  
Chaper 28  
  
The wedding day dawned bright and sunny. 'As if it would rain on Endymion and Serenity's wedding day. They bring new meaning to the word, charmed life'  
I smiled and gazed at myself in the mirror. I was dressed in something called, "Traditional morning wear.' Instead of my well used three button tuxedo, I wore a classic stroller style, for some reason preferred for morning events. To be honest, I looked rather weird in it. For someone used to easy to throw on business suits or the occasional foray into tuxedo land, the vest and very weird cut of jacket seemed to be overburdening.  
It wasn't even black, but some strange color called charcoal. Pinstriped gray pants and patent leather shoes finished the ensemble, making for a elegantly overstated costume.  
Although technically not part of the wedding party, I would be damned if I showed up to the wedding of my prince underdressed. The ceremony would be held an hour away, by a remote seashore, and I got off to an early start. Mamoru had requested I be there a little early, if only for moral support. I was more than happy to oblige him.  
The wedding was set for one o'clock and with luck I would be there about two hours before the ceremony started.  
I adjusted my tie once more in the rearview mirror and pulled out of the space to embark on the long drive.  
In a way, I was grateful for the time alone to think. Dana's word had rung true to me, so I had taken the liberty of having fresh flowers placed in Rei's office every morning. After only a simple gesture like that, she immediately began to perk up, working much like she had in the past.  
With a certain measure of dark humor, he mused that the productivity gains might justify fresh flowers in every office.  
Rei had declined to ride with me, as she had to be there even earlier to help tie up any last minute loose ends. At least they had secured me a front row seat on the Groom's side. I pondered lighting up a cigarette and then decided to save them for the groom. He might need them to calm his nerves.  
Even doctor might take a smoke when faced with the prospect of marriage. Not that I was worried for them, of course. But I expected the prospect of taking vows might be a little daunting for anyone. Even those who had fought evils beyond human conception to achieve love.  
I smirked into the mirror and depressed the gas pedal even more, gaining speed.  
My cellphone trilled softly and I flipped it open with one hand, "Kaitou here."  
"It's Rei. Just wondering when you were getting here. We may have a crisis on our hands."  
"I'm on the road right now. What's up?"  
She sounded almost embarassed, "We can't find the groom right now. We were wondering if you had any idea where he might be hiding out."  
"Isn't that a job for the best man?"  
"Motoki doesn't have a clue either."  
Reassuringly, "Now, the wedding isn't for two and a half hours. I am certain that he'll show up sooner or later. You've got plenty of time. In fact, he's probably taking some alone time right now. People often do that before weddings. And you know how Mamoru is."  
"Alright, alright." she laughed, "You always have a way to make me feel better. I'll see you in a bit."  
I flipped the phone closed and tossed it onto the seat next to me. It proved to be a bad move as it rang not three minutes later. I looked at the road apprehensively, to make sure that no one was around me and then I stretched to grab it. I only swerved a little bit, and you can't even see the scratches after the detailing job.  
I straightened out quickly and answered the call, "Hello?"  
"Ryan?"  
"Mamoru, I almost died answering this call, it better be good. How can I help you?"  
"When you get here, go down to the shore before you head in. Park a couple of blocks away so they don't see you."  
The phone abruptly cut off and I stared at it curiously before speeding up again.  
  
I trotted down to the shore by the church. The pebbles crunched under my feet and I fretted about the abuse which my shoes were taking. Nevertheless, I forged onward until I saw a figure appear, dressed in a black jacket and grey pinstriped pants. It was a similar design to mine, but Endymion wore it infinitely better. He was a man accustomed to such things, and exuded a natural elegance that I knew I could never match.  
But from his posture, he was also in deep thought. The furrow of his brow underneath ebony locks betrayed a worry of the future, untempered by what was to be the happiest day of his life.  
"Jadeite."  
He invoked a tone of authority.  
Automatically, I bowed at the waist, "Endymion-sama. How may I be of service?"  
He looked at me, a faint world weariness creasing his eyes, "Once, long ago, I was given a wonderful, tantalizing glimpse of the future. One thousand years into the future, I am to reign over a New Tokyo, in the midst of a cultural renaissance unparalleled in human history, at the side of a beautiful queen, greatly beloved by her people."  
"Sounds pretty good to me. I would like to see that some day."  
"But it is just that. I know not what it entails, what that future holds, or even if it is a real future. What if I made some mistake, did something wrong along the way? What happens if that future no longer exists? What happens if something I do today, destroys that future, so that it will never happen? I do not believe in fate...Jadeite, I am terrified by what the future might bring."  
I kicked at a rock then lifted my eyes to meet his. "Do you love her?"  
"Yes, of course."  
"Can you think of any reason, whatsoever, to not be with her in body, mind, and spirit?"  
"No, not really-"  
"Then what are you worried about? About some ephemeral future that might or might not be? Take it from a guy who has been around for longer than anyone has any right to be. The future is cloudy, true. But that does not justify inaction in the present." I grabbed his up and arm and pointed up to the far away church, "Up there is the most beautiful woman in the world. She has waited her entire life for you and you have waited your entire life for her. Whatever the future may hold, one thing is for certain. You will spend the rest of your lives together."  
Mamoru looked at me blankly for a second, but a slow smile crept across his handsome features, "When did you become a romance counselor?"  
I shot him a charming grin in return, "Force of habit. Come on, Mamoru, you've got a wedding to go to."  
"Alright, already. How do I look?"  
I adjusted his tie slightly and made sure that the boutineer fit snugly into his lapel. "Perfect."  
  
"You found him!" Rei launched herself into Ryan's arms and he staggered back a couple of steps from the charge.  
"Yes, I found him. Like I said, he showed up. Now, could you let go of me?"  
Rei laughed, "Fine. But I owe you one."  
"You'll find a way to pay me back later." He stretched slightly and smiled rakishly.  
In Rei's eyes, he looked remarkably handsome. His hair was a little tousled and his outfit a little crinkled from the drive down. He ran a shaky hand through his hair, betraying a little bit of nervous energy. He wrung his hands together once more then strode outside only to return in less than a minute with a newspaper under his arm.  
He promptly sat down in one of the pews and began to read. His light blue eyes took on a certain vacancy, which hid an amazingly active mind. His eyes flitted from sentence to sentence, absorbing the information quickly and efficiently. That gaze of focus dissolved for a moment as his cold eyes danced with humor at a particularly amusing bit of news. His mouth never creased into a smile, but his eyes betrayed his true amusement. They wandered again, this time focusing on a particularly worrisome piece and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly, to slits of aqua blue.  
Surprise, warmth, anger, joy, and even the slightest traces of hatred ran through those mesmerizing eyes. She barely noticed as those eyes turned their penetrating eyes onto hers, noting nothing but amusement within those infinite depths. "Hey lady, what are you staring at?"  
She jerked out of her reverie for a moment, "Oh, sorry Kaitou-san. Just thinking."  
"Is there something on my face? A sudden zit? A complexion crisis?" His voice was easy, almost mocking.  
"Shut up." Rei pursed her lips and attempted to glare at him. He glared back but lost the contest by looking away.  
"You look nice today. The bridesmaid dress suits you very well."  
She blushed noticeably, taken completely off guard. The strapless red dress flowed down past her ankles, brushing the floor like an evening gown. She was undeniably lovely, with the simple dress merely accentuating her great natural beauty.  
  
And just for a moment, I felt my breath catch. Her violet eyes locked with mine and she grew a little red with embarassment. Her raven black hair had been pulled back behind her tan shoulders, with nary a bikini mark in sight. I found myself wondering how exactly she had accomplished that feat before berating myself on my dirty thoughts.  
"I take that back." Her eyes looked a bit worried and a teasing smile touched my lips, "You are absolutely gorgeous. Who's your date tonight?"  
"No date, wedding party remember?"  
"Oh good, that means I won't be putting anyone out when I steal you away for a dance or two."  
A mischevious smile crossed her face, "Shall we practice now?"  
I opened up my arms, "But we have no music here."  
"Never stopped me before."  
"True enough." I took two steps and offered her my hand. When she took it, I drew her close to my body, "You know I've managed to get in a few dance lessons lately."  
"Really? What sort?"  
"Argentine tango. Scandalous, sexual and fun."  
"Ooh sounds like my kind of dance. You'll have to give me lessons some time."  
"I'd be happy to oblige. Sometime after the wedding perhaps?"  
"You've got a date." I smiled lopsidedly and we stood there for a moment, just soaking up each other's presence.  
"Hey lovebirds! We've got a wedding to run." the loud voice of the wedding coordinator jolted me out of my thoughts. Rei pulled away quickly, but softened it with a smile. Glancing at my watch, I saw that an hour and a half had passed.  
'Has it been that long already?' I automatically straightened my tie and looked around for my seat. Makoto, in forest green, came out to make sure that everything was in place. I shot her a thumbs up and she grinned.  
Calling out, "You ready?"  
"Not yet." I sat down in the front row and leaned back, "Now I'm ready."  
  
As ceremonies went, the two hour affair was fairly standard. But nothing could match the radiant smiles of bride, groom, and assembled company. What made this wedding special was the fact that they both had not only managed to triumph over the usual obstacles of parental disapproval, but also those of extradimensional forces which had conspired to end their love.  
I cheered for them in my heart, knowing that they deserved every moment of unadulterated happiness that they could find. Even the slight darkness in my heart could not drag down my soaring spirits.  
Behind me, I could hear a couple of muffled sobs. Turning my head slightly, I saw a two girls Mamoru's age, sobbing as if a parent had died.  
Admirers then. I snickered softly and was silenced by a menacing glare from Rei next to the altar. Luckily, the ceremony decided to end at that point and I rose up in joyous celebration, clapping and whistling until my hands were sore. The newly minted husband and wife smiled gloriously in my direction and I imagined that they were smiling at me. I whistled a happy tune to myself as the wedding procession marched past. The room filled with flashes, from cameras that had been hidden until the end. I resisted the urge to pull out a cigarette and take a satisfied puff. The church might not look at me favorably, and I would not be one to defile a house of God. I may not be sure of his existence, but I fear Him anyway.  
The bridesmaids and groomsmen followed and I turned to shake the hands of everyone around me. Friends, recent acquaintances, total strangers.  
I crossed the aisle to shake Kenji and Ikuko's hands, "Congratulations. You have one hell of a son in law."  
Ikuko beamed at me while Kenji wept quietly by her side, I assume, in happiness. She smiled apologetically and then tried to make a hasty exit.  
"Why hello there!"  
I turned to the unfamiliar voices, to see a girl trying to catch up to me. I stopped, curious that anyone besides the immediate family and friends of the wedded would know me. As they drew closer, I recognized her as one of girls that was weeping behind me during the ceremony.  
"Hi, can I help you?"  
As she drew closer, I was greeted with the smiling visage of a short, brown haired woman dressed in a bright sundress as befitting a summer wedding, "Ryan Kaitou?"  
"You've got him. Can I help you?" I repeated.  
She stuck her hand out and gave me what I imagined what she believed was a sexy smile, "Fujiko Katsumata. I was in Mamoru's orphanage when we were kids."  
"I'm just an old friend of his. We met right out of college."  
She hooked her arm through mine, "Really? That's fascinating. It was such a lovely ceremony today too."  
I put on my most charming grin, "That it was. I have a small question if its alright with you. How did you know my name?"  
"I'm a financial reporter for the Yomiuri Shinbun. I was at a press conference you once gave on your company...."  
My mind clicked with recognition, "Ah, the inquisitive young lady who kept on asking me questions about the public offering. Yes, I do remember you."  
She beamed, "I was wondering if you could spare time sometime tonight, for a..uh personal interview for my paper."  
I struggled to maintain my smile, "Thank you for the offer, but I actually have to attend the reception and dinner tonight."  
A naughty smile creased her features, "And why is that?"  
"Personal reasons." I looked around and waved down Rei. She gave me a momentarily puzzled look then quickly pushed her way through the crowd, "And there they are."  
I pulled away from Fujiko and took Rei by the hand, "Mi'lady. I would like you to meet Fujiko Katsumata, a friend of Mamoru's."  
Rei gave her an icily courteous smile, "Pleased to meet you."  
Fujiko was taken off guard for a moment then covered with a faltering smile, "The same I'm sure. Well, perhaps some other time Kaitou-san."  
I held my breath until she disappeared and then let it out with a huff, "Thank god."  
Rei looked at me with a appraisingly, "Did you just do what I thought you did?"  
"Used you to escape someone that I really didn't want to be caught with? You might say that. I definitely would."  
She shook her head, "You're incorrigible."  
"One of my most endearing qualities. I'm assuming that Mamoru and Usagi transported themselves away from here, leaving you a little understaffed in cars. I would be glad to offer my car to get us back to Tokyo."  
"That would be greatly appreciated. Much cheaper than taking a limo. I'll gather up the girls and we'll distribute accordingly.  
I followed Rei into the back staging area where three excited senshi and various other friends. A tall blonde man looked at me rather suspiciously and I smiled back. "Ryan Kaitou."  
"Haruka Te'nou. Nice to meet you." Her tone conveyed that it wasn't quite that, but I suspected that he wasn't a particularly sociable person.  
Instead I turned my attention to the lovely ladies beside him.  
"Michiru Kaiou. And this is Hotaru." She answered before I had the chance to introduce myself.  
The black haired girl reached out and shook my head, "So you're Rei's boss. The American."  
Easily, "I see I'm famous." I shot a mock glare at Rei, who merely shrugged innocently, "I am Rei's boss. And I am indeed American."  
Hotaru lifted her chin, exuding a sense of calm that made her seem far older than she was. "You speak very well for an American."  
"Thank you. I spent a long time practicing."  
Haruka broke in, almost rudely, "So, Ryan, what do you do?" "  
I am president of an business software company specializing in creating systems to help small and medium sized companies function more efficiently."  
"Supply chain management?"  
"A little bit of that, plus customized security systems, email servers, enterprise software."  
A faint glint of humor sparked through her eyes, "And Oracle hasn't driven you out yet?"  
"We're faster than they are. We've got lower costs, and have a competitive advantage in small business. Oracle can't keep up. If you don't mind my asking, are you in the software business yourself?"  
"No, I'm actually a race car driver. But Oracle sponsored my car once and I had to sit through one of their publicity events."  
I bowed my head in recognition and then turned to Rei, "So what's happening?"  
"Well, Minako's car can hold four. Haruka's can hold four. And yours can hold four. We have more than enough room for preferences."  
Minako grinned, "Mako, Ami, and I will be heading out together. Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru I guess will want to stay together. Which leaves you in Ryan's car, Rei."  
I shot her a dirty look and she smiled back, satisfied. I sighed, "Alright. Let's get going. We have to get back in time for the reception at five. And Rei, if you don't mind, I actually need to stop by my apartment before we get there." 


	29. Chapter 29

-  
Chapter 29  
  
To say the least, it was sparsely decorated. Rei would have called it spartan. The walls were bare, save for a few pictures, primarily of Ryan and Dana, and a few modernist paintings which clashed with the otherwise military sensibilities of the rest of the apartment. It bespoke of a man intelligent enough to buy decent artwork, but utterly incompetent when it came to arranging his life. She sighed. There had to be a catch somewhere.  
'Good dresser, very smart, very cute, can't decorate for the life of him'  
Ryan called out from deeper in the apartment, "Make yourself at home! I need a little bit of time to get ready." Rei rolled her eyes and then set about exploring the living space. It was a large size for a one person Tokyo city apartment, with a single bedroom, bathroom, separated kitchen and dining area, central living space, office, and den/guest room. It was actually large enough to entertain small parties and she wondered what the man needed all the space for. His sparse possessions magnified the emptiness of the space and she hugged herself as if to shield herself from the cold which the place exuded.  
"I didn't think that I turned up the air conditioning that much."  
Rei opened her eyes to see a smiling and newly tuxedoed Ryan Kaitou, "You didn't. It's just that your place is so sparse!"  
He frowned, "I know. Originally, I believed I would be shuttling between here and California more often than I have been. I left the majority of my belongings back in California."  
"That doesn't excuse it. You've had over half a year to adjust already."  
"Perhaps someday you could give me some pointers."  
"Indeed. But we have a party to get to."  
"You always wreck my fun. But lead the way, ma cher."  
  
The party reception was held in a country club less than twenty minutes from my home. Old, elegant convention room had been set aside for our use. Roman columns made of white marble rose up from one side, revealing a glorious view of a lake and endless greenery, only marred by the presence of some late day golfers. The ceiling was vaulted, giving it an amazing airiness that was accentuated by strategically placed pole lighting that kept the room bright.  
A waiter came up to me and offered a glass of Champagne which I took gladly. Sipping it quietly, I let myself relax for the first time that day. In sense, I felt every one of Endymion's worries as vividly as my own. A simple security measure to link Endymion with his guards, we were trained to sense whether he was in danger, how he was feeling and if he needed the Silver Millenium version of a SWAT team to descend on his coordinates. I had gotten rusty over the years, but now I could turn it on and off at will.  
And now he was the happiest man in the world.  
I mumbled to myself, "Might as well go see the groom."  
Rei, who had been at my side the entire time, looked up in surprise, "What?"  
"Sorry, just talking to myself. I should probably go say hi to them. You don't have to come if you don't want to."  
"Hey, I was a bridesmaid. I should be there right now."  
I shook my head and walked over slowly. Mamoru spotted me and quickly disengaged from conversation to come over to me and shake my head, "Ryan, so glad you could make it."  
"I would not have missed it for the world. But the day won't be complete until I get to say hello to the new Mrs. Mamoru Chiba."  
Rei broke in, "That's right! Where is Usagi?"  
I looked around and spotted the familiar odangoes near the hors d'oeuvres table, "Would that be her over there?"  
Rei stomped over and pulled the blonde woman away from her snacks as Mamoru and I looked on in amusement.  
"Ryan-san." The moon princess hugged me, "I feel like you're part of the family already."  
I must have had a puzzled look on my face, because Mamoru quickly explained, "You get along with all our friends so well, her parents. It's just been very easy to hang around you."  
They exchanged a look that piqued my curiosity. I sensed that Mamoru was hiding something from me and was about to speak up when Ami began calling out, "Would everyone please take their seats? Dinner is about to be served."  
I shot a questioning look at Mamoru before trotting over to the first table to sit with Usagi's family. Normally the immediate family of the bride and groom would sit together and discuss their children, but as Mamoru had family to speak of and all his other close friends were in the wedding itself sitting at the front of the room, I was a natural choice. Also helping was the fact that I had proven that I could get along with Usagi's parents rather well. Truth be told, I prefered smaller affairs, quiet celebrations of home and hearth rather than the gala event which Mamoru and Usagi had planned. There were over one hundred and fifty people in the room, of which I knew perhaps twenty.  
Despite it all, I made my way to the first table, where Usagi's family was seated. Kenji rose to greet me and I bowed in return. To his wife, I lifted her hand from the table to kiss it.  
"Kaitou-san, you of course have met my wife. I would also like you to meet Usagi's brother, Shingo."  
A lanky teenager reached out awkwardly to shake my hand, "Kaitou-san."  
"Ryan. Call me Ryan. We are close enough in age for that, ne?"  
He almost smiled in spite of himself, "Hai, Ryan-san."  
Kenji and I engaged in some light business talk, a little chatting about college, more about philosophy and life in general. Ikuko looked on with slight amusement, every so often interjecting with an insightful point or two. Usagi clearly took after her mother in that regard. Her father was an uncessing chatterbox, a little shallow but an interesting man who never ceased to amaze me with the amount of different topics he could bring up in a single breath.  
Dinner began to arrive via white coated waiters and I was spared continued conversation by the continual train of salads, soups, and pastas. Makoto had taken over catering duties for the wedding and was directing the kitchen from her position on the table. It was a massive undertaking for the amount of people involved, but she handled it well even from the confines of her emerald green bridesmaid dress. An idea popped into my head but I filed it away for later. 'In good time'  
Usagi and Mamoru began their rounds of the table, making sure to meet and greet every single guest that had managed to make it. I stood up to stretch slightly, making all the necessary apologies to my table mates.  
Retreating to the restroom, I intercepted Minako as she came out of the lady's room. "Hey, Mina-chan."  
"Ryan-kun. How are you doing?"  
"Just retreating from the party for a little while. It's been a long day."  
"I hear that. I'm looking forward to sleeping tonight."  
I made a goofy face, "But you have to stay for the dancing. All weddings have dancing."  
"Not with the things I'm wearing." She lifted a foot and extracted a very painful looking stiletto from it. "These are not happy shoes."  
Banteringly, "Come on, you mean you're not used to high heels?"  
"Give me a good pair of sneakers any day." Minako wiggled her toes underneath the nylons and then regretfully slipped it back on. "Oh well, back to the party. I see that dessert is being distributed. Better go get some before Usagi steals mine."  
I nodded and continued on my way to the restroom. Running a hand through my hair, I could feel the moistness which clung to my scalp. I washed my hands once, then again. For some reason, I could not capture the joy I felt at the wedding here. Out of place, disjointed, even lonely.  
And even more so, I felt that something was wrong, uniquely wrong, on a much greater level. The concentration of power, malevolent instinct. A malicious intellect sat at the center of that web, carefully attuned to its every movement and vibration. Two green eyes slowly opened, gazing at me with a curiously familiar intensity and I could almost see the smile beneath them. My eyes snapped up to the heavens and I squinted. It was suppressed for now, not a danger. But it would be soon.  
"Kami-sama." And then, just like that, it vanished. I blinked. 'What just happened? Was that entire thing just a figment of my imagination? I'm losing it'  
I rubbed, 'This is absurd. You're going to go back out there and have a good time if it kills you'  
And with that resolution I exited restroom, shaken by the terrible vision of those glowing eyes.  
  
Rei looked around for the pale haired man, but could not see him anywhere. He had disappeared without a trace, and people were getting up to dance.  
A handsome brunette led Minako away and Ami and Makoto were dancing with a bunch of friends around the bride and groom. She would have joined them, but was waiting for a particular person to show up.  
A waiter passed by and she grabbed a glass of champagne from the tray and downed it quickly, adding to the collection of three in front of her. She was drunk, but did not know it. Her mind raced, worrying where the businessman was. A dozen unlikely scenarios ran through her head, each more terrible than the next. She thought he might have left early or even found another person to spend the night with. Her anger rose with every revelation.  
And then, like a glimpse of the sun on a rainy day, she saw him exit the bathroom, wearing his quintessentially honest and charming facade. She slammed down the drink and slowly began to make her way towards him.  
  
When I got back, my table had been deserted by the Tsukinos having decided to take to the dance floor instead. Even Shingo had managed to get a dance with some black haired teenager.  
I shook my head and chuckled to myself. A felt a hand grab my shoulder, "Hey, handsome. Would you like to dance?"  
Turning to see Rei, I was immediately clued off by the scent of alcohol on her breath. "Rei-chan, you've been drinking."  
"Just a few. It makes me happy." She stood unsteadily and I carefully stood up to ease her into a seat. I had had a couple myself but was not nearly intoxicated as she was.  
"Rei-chan, perhaps we should forgo the dancing tonight. You must be exhausted."  
She giggled softly and stroked my cheek, "I'm feeling great. But if you insist, I'll sit out for a moment."  
I smiled gratefully and I waved down Minako who immediately left her dance partner and came to my aid, "What happened?"  
Rei giggled again and I sighed, "She's had a few too many. If it's alright, I'm going to take her home."  
"Mamoru and Usagi are leaving on their honeymoon tomorrow, so she won't be missing anything. Be safe."  
I nodded and draped Rei's arm over my shoulder, "I will. Come on Rei, we're heading home."  
"I want another drink."  
"You shouldn't have any more."  
"Come on Ryan, it's my best friend's wedding night. If a girl isn't entitled to getting drunk at that time, then when? When does it stop?"  
I chuckled, "Alright. One more. But in my apartment. I want to be able to keep an eye on you."  
  
Rei leaned on my shoulder heavily as I fumbled with my keys. Eventually I managed to wedge the door open and half lead/ half drag her inside. I shook my head in regret, "This was not a good idea. You can barely stand on your own feet."  
She mumbled into my jacket, "Come on, don't be such a spoilsport."  
I lowered her gently onto my sofa and nodded, "Alright. Let me just get out of my jacket and I'll make you something."  
I entered my bedroom, tossing my tuxedo jacket to a chair on the side. I pulled off the cuff links and dropped them into a box beside my bed.  
A voice from behind me "Hey Ryan, forget about the drink. I think I've had enough alcohol for one night."  
I smiled, "I'm glad to see you've come to your senses. You know, I-"  
My voice trailed off as I turned around. Rei stood in the doorway of my bedroom, leaning heavily on the frame, dressed in a mere bra and panties. Her hair blew behind her and I could sense the carnal instinct burning off of her. I took a step back, "Whoa, what happened to the gown?"  
Shamelessly, "Left it in the living room."  
I tried to assume my most imperious tone, "Rei-"  
She cut me off, "Look, Ryan, don't patronize me. I've given all of this careful thought. I've looked at every side of it. And I've come to the conclusion that I am deeply, desperately in love with you."  
I raised my hands, "Rei, that's just the liquor talking. You're really drunk and really tired. Look, you can sleep it off-"  
Rei smiled briefly and took a determined step forward, "On the contrary, I have never been more deadly serious in my life."  
With that revelation, she grabbed my shirt and pulled me forward, forcing me to fall on top of her on the bed. And just like that, Rei pushed her head into mine, in a ravaging, abusive kiss. I tried to pull back, but she held on tight, forcing me to savor every moment of it.  
At some point, the mechanisms in my mind began to kick in and I resigned myself to the rather enviable position of kissing Rei Hino. I closed my eyes, sampling her taste, so unlike that of other girls. Under the champagne on her breath was an undeniable sweet spiciness which wrapped around my heart and would not let go.  
I kissed her back, with all the force of love long lost and regained. After I broke off the kiss, I caressed her cheek softly, "Rei-chan..."  
She pulled my hand up to her mouth and kiss it lightly, "I have loved you since I can remember. Please. Just let us have tonight." I nodded and kissed her again, this time more fervently than ever. She responded by beginning to unbutton my shirt.  
'Tonight.' 


	30. Chapter 30

-  
Chapter 30  
  
I awoke to the smell of her hair. It was comforting and I smiled inspite of myself. I was cuddled around her back, my hands wrapped around her smooth belly. I let my hand wander up a little bit, but fought that instinct. Deciding to prevent any future opportunities, I began to extract myself from the bed as delicately as I can. 'With a little luck, I won't even wake her'  
A muffled voice came from the other side, "Don't even think about it."  
'And there goes that plan.' I kissed her on the shoulder, "Think about what?"  
She turned around, wrapping the bed sheet around her for some semblance of modesty, "The wandering hands I can deal with. But if you get up and leave me, you die."  
I smiled innocently and Rei leaned forward to kiss me, "Mmmm, well I suppose I can survive staying in bed for a little while longer."  
"You better." Rei scooted over in bed a little more and held me in her soft grip again, "About last night..."  
"Hmm?" I had closed my eyes for a moment, merely reveling in her presence.  
"What happened last night?"  
I opened my eyes curiously, "Well, we had sex....something I've never done with you before. I'm surprised that you don't remember."  
She smacked me on the shoulder, "Shut up. I know we did that But I just wanted to know-"  
"Whether I loved you back?"  
In a small voice, "Well, yeah. It's a valid question."  
I pulled her closer to me and kissed her forehead, "Rei, if you had asked me that last night, I don't think you would have liked my answer. But today, when I woke up beside you, I realized that you are someone that I would be happy to wake up next to for the rest of my life. I think that that is an admirable life goal."  
"So that's a yes."  
I rolled my eyes, "Yes, Rei. That is a yes."  
She leaned forward to kiss me again, "I'm glad."  
With closed eyes, "Me too. Of course, that means you have to quit your job."  
Rei punched me playfully, "You're such a killjoy. Here we are having a romantic moment, and you have to bring that up."  
"Hey, I'm just being responsible. We would have had to talk about it anyway."  
She shook her head, "And here I was thinking I might be able to convince you to quit. I mean, yes, I'll tender my resignation when I get back to work."  
"If you want romantics, let's talk about you moving into here."  
She looked a bit shocked, "You want me to move in?"  
"You once commented that this place needed a little more life, I was hoping that you might be willing to take a vested interest in it."  
Rei smiled, "How could I refuse an invitation like that?"  
"Good." I pulled away and stood up to stretch. Rei looked at me admiringly and I rolled my eyes, "Hentai."  
"Is it such a crime to take pride in one's posessions?"  
Wrapping a towel around my body, I gave her a stern look to which she only responded with another innocent smile.  
Shaking my head, I moved towards the adjoined bathroom only to stop and comment, "You know, the shower is big enough for two."  
  
Rei rubbed the last bits of moisture out of her hair and was startled by the sudden trill of the phone.  
"Ryan, phone!"  
"Alright, alright." He trotted back into the room and picked it up, "Hello?"  
"Hey, Ryan. It's Minako-chan."  
"Hi, Mina-chan. What can I do for you?"  
"We were wondering if you had seen Rei. We dropped by the temple earlier this morning, but she wasn't there. We were wondering if you had seen her."  
I looked at Rei for a moment and she shrugged and reached out, "Gimme."  
Glad to be off the hook, he picked out a plain pair of khaki pants and a black cotton dress shirt and left for the bathroom to change.  
"Hey, Minako-chan!"  
"Rei, what are you doing there?" The tone of her voice made it clear that it wasn't a real question.  
Rei looked around and whispered conspiratorially into the phone, "Well...I like him."  
"Kami-sama," Minako squealed, "I knew it, I knew it! So what's he like? Is he good? Spill it!"  
"Umm, not now. I'll tell you everything later. Anyway, what's up?"  
"Well, we dropped by the temple to pick up you up for lunch before we headed out to wish Mamoru and Usagi well on their honeymoon. But you weren't there. I had a hunch. I think it panned out pretty well. And Mako owes me lunch after losing our little bet."  
"What did she say?" "She said that you guys hooked up in the temple."  
Rei slapped her head and filed away instructions to yell at Mako later. "Anyway, do you guys want to meet anyway? We were about to head out anyway."  
"Definitely, we have to talk to the lovebirds before they leave. Both pairs!"  
She shook her head, "You're terrible." "I know, but I predicted it so you can't yell at me."  
  
I came in, fully dressed this time and mouthed to Rei, "Where are we going?"  
Rei mouthed back, "Lunch with friends."  
I nodded and went into the kitchen to brew some coffee. As I surveyed the living room, I saw underwear and clothing strewn all over the place, a testament to the actions of the night before. It offended my military sensibilities but I let it slide. I was in far too good a mood to be brought down by something as mundane as cleanliness. Besides, it made the place a little more homey, especially since much of the clothing wasn't mine.  
I smiled in remembrance and then loaded the percolator with freshly ground beans and then let it perk for a while. I then proceeded to bring another kettle to boil on the stove for tea.  
After a little while, Rei entered the kitchen and began to rummage around for tea. She was wearing my clothes, but oddly didn't look any less feminine for it. She had managed to find a pair of pressed white dress pants that looked rather mannish, but tied it together with a fashionable belt and the red heels from the night before. She finished the look with a plain white tucked in tee shirt over which she wore a blue striped dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up.  
I whistled appreciatively and she gave me a kiss in return. "So when do we leave and where?" "Minako said that she would pick us up. Be ready for an interogation."  
"Seriously. Did you know she's been hinting at us having a relationship for about three weeks now?"  
"I'm not surprised. She's incredibly good at predicting these things." Rei set out a pot for the tea and tossed in a couple of dried chrysanthemum flowers before covering it and letting it steep for a while.  
I took a sip of my coffee, "I was. I never expected to get you out of the deal."  
"Stranger things have happened."  
"Yeah, I suppose so." I pulled her close for another kiss and she smiled happily.  
"I could get used to being doted on like this."  
"Well, I haven't had a girlfriend since college, so you may have to bear with such things for the interim until I remember how to actually treat a woman I'm sharing a bed with."  
"Hmmm, I will do my best to make sure that you never remember." An insistent honking forced me back into reality, "That must be her."  
I grabbed my coat and shrugged it on, "How do I look?"  
"Handsome as always." Rei picked up her handbag and threaded her fingers through mine. I smiled amusedly through the elevator ride down.  
A red convertible with the top down sat out front and a blue haired girl in the passenger seat waved to us.  
"Well look who it is." Ami laughed, "The lovebirds finally made it down."  
Rei glared at her and I smiled and wrapped my arm around her, "We were detained. You'd be surprised how preoccupied one can get."  
Ami immediately turned red and looked away. Rei blushed. And I grinned shamelessly. A blonde in the driver's seat yelled out at us, "Hey, we can talk about your exploits later, but now we need to get going."  
I snickered and Rei gave me a love tap in the gut, "Hentai-baka."  
I looked pained and Minako spared me a glance through the rearview mirror, "If she's abusing you already, it must be love." 


	31. Chapter 31

-  
Chapter 31  
  
I stapled a couple of pieces of paper together. "Hey, Rei."  
Her voice sounded a little tired, "Hey Ryan. It's almost 9:30. When are you going to be back?"  
"Not for a while, babe. I have some paperwork to do and it'll probably take half an hour or more."  
Jokingly, "You having an affair, aren't you?"  
I snorted, "You can talk to Dana if you'd like, she's going insane right now from the paperwork too." Dana shot me an amused look and I stuck my tongue out at her, "Alright, Rei-chan. I'll see you in a bit. Love you."  
"Well, well, well. It seems like you're getting something resembling a home life. I don't think I've ever seen you this happy. Rei's working out for you then?"  
"You know, the office work has been a little unbearable, but honestly I like going home to someone. Makes me feel all fuzzy inside."  
Dana shook her head, "I'm glad that you're happy. But I also have to say that I told you so."  
"You did indeed. I was lonely, terribly so. I'm glad that I found who I did though. Which reminds me, you need to help me find a new secretary."  
"This time I'll look for a male. Don't want Rei to have any competition."  
"Har har." I wadded up a ball of paper and tossed it at her head. She giggled and continued to work.  
  
I fumbled with my key for a moment, then realized that someone was waiting for me inside. Ringing the doorbell, I waited until Rei opened the door.  
She looked at me with pursed lips, "It's ten thirty. You're late."  
I eased off my jacket and folded it over my arm, "Not really my choice."  
Rei smiled and kissed me softly, "I know. I worked there before. You look worn."  
"I am worn. At this point, I just want to sleep."  
"Aww, poor baby. Would you like a back massage?"  
I grinned at her, "You're taking to this homemaker thing rather well, aren't you?"  
She shrugged, "I figure you ought to get some pampered treatment while I search for another job. After that, it's TV dinners and take out."  
I clutched my heart, "Aww...Rei, why would you do something like that." Turning serious for a moment, "I did hear of a job opening for a junior associate at McKinsey. You may want to check that out."  
"Thanks, sweetie." She kissed me on the check and I smiled in return. "I'll definitely look at that. I want something with manageable hours though. Say fifty a week with weekends off."  
"Your idea of manageable is somewhat different than the norm. I think I worked you too hard."  
She took my hand and led me into the living room, "Perhaps, but it also gives me plenty of free time when I'm not working. Close your eyes and follow me."  
I did as commanded and bumped my shin into some soft object, which puzzled me, considering that I had very few of those in my living room. I could sense Rei's excitement and I smiled in spite of myself. "Can I open my eyes now?"  
Her voice was brimming, bubbling over with glee, "Yes, open them."  
What I saw, amazed me. The drab couch and easy chair had been replaced with a matching set of loveseat and sofa. Shelves had been placed along the walls, filled with pictures of friends and relatives and trinkets of all sorts. A glass coffee table sat in the middle of the room, with a couple of decorative books tossed onto it. Finally, an achingly luxurious leather recliner and ottoman had been moved into the corner, facing the windows for a grand view of the stars and Tokyo.  
"Wow."  
She giggled, "You like it?"  
"It actually feels like home, for once. And that recliner is calling to me. I think I'll give it test drive."  
Sinking into it, I closed my eyes before feeling a sudden weight on my lap. "Hey, who said you could join? This ride is single only."  
"Yeah, but I think you'll make an exception for me."  
I sighed and smiled, "Alright, lady. Time to go to sleep. I'm just far too exhausted."  
Rei slipped off and pulled me up, "Okay, old timer."  
Even before I got to the bedroom, I had begun to strip out of my work clothes and tossed them onto a chair. I was too tired even to hang them up. Yet, I felt a wonderful pall of satisfaction come over me as I hid myself underneath the covers and instantly fell asleep.  
  
That night the visions returned. The man found himself in a familiar uniform, the drab gray of a general. His eyebrow raised slightly, in repressed curiousity, then narrowed slightly. His hand went to his side, pulling free a sword which almost glowed in the half light. He slowly scanned the room then set his eyes on the door, knowing instinctively that his enemy was coming. The sounds of a battle had died down outside and he calmly waited. And then the door opened. Malevolent men at arms, magically enhanced attack dogs, and monsters of all sorts filed in silently, filling up half the room before arranging themselves in parade formation.  
A young man, wearing the same uniform as the general, edged his way through the crowd and stood to face the lone soldier opposing them. He wore a smug smile, "General."  
The general smiled briefly. It held none of the cheer of the other's. "Captain. I should have suspected as much. How long?"  
The young man shrugged, "Long enough. You know that we could not let this farce of a courtship happen. Stand aside, General. We are taking the prince into custody."  
"I think not. You will not pass this door."  
"General, you are mistaken. You still think that you have an actual choice in the matter. I am quite certain that you don't. We have MAGIC on our side, unlike you. And we are not afraid to use it.  
The captain's smile turned sympathetic for a moment, "Come General. There is much room for an accomplished tactician such as yourself on our side. Your brothers found her reasoning...persuasive. But Beryl-hime is willing to barter with you. She has asked me to convey to you the offer of a commanding generalship of all her armies."  
"Because she is incapable of leading them herself?" The general snorted and smiled cynically, "Convey back to her my sincerest regret at not being able to accept the offer as well as the suggestion to go perform some anatomically impossible act."  
"Please, General. This is a poor time for vulgarity. You are surrounded and outnumbered. I suspect that you are the last thing in our way. Move or die."  
The general did not even answer that time, instead setting into a clearly defensive fencing posture.  
The captain sighed, "So be it general."  
The front rank of men at arms broke into battle formation, charging the lone swordsman, trusting overwhelming force for victory. The general dodged easily, stabbing the first one deep in the gut then withdrawing and slashing across the belly of the next. He clashed with the third, striking sparks in the darkness. He danced back a step then his hand flashed and the third fell to the ground, the tip of a dagger protruding from the back of his neck. Before the others could react, another fell from a knife which seemed to sprout from his forehead.  
The first rank slowed its perilous charge and backed up for a moment. The general smiled contentedly and again set into his defensive position, lifting a bloodstained sword to his center of gravity. The captain gestured and the second rank joined the first in its assault, striving to take down the man in front of them. The general fell back, picking off individual attacks easily, channeling the wave around him with a flurry of clashing steel. He also found time to give back of little of his own, as soldiers of Beryl's armies fell around him.  
The captain gestured again and the rest of the force charged in, seeking to smother the single man by pure force of weight. Wave after wave of soldier and monster charged, yet to no avail. The general moved faster than all of them, slashing through their armors like a knife through butter. Any reasonable force would have stopped the nonsensical bloodshed, but Beryl's troops attacked with the fury of maniacs only to fall to the floor in a pile of severed limbs and entrails. Twenty minutes later, it was all but over.  
The general noted the blood on his tunic with a faint disdain and then set his eyes on the traitorous captain. The young man smiled and clapped appreciatively, "Well done! I must say I am surprised to see you still standing. I see though, that you have kept up with your fencing. No matter." The captain closed his eyes and whispered a few words. A sword appeared in his hand and he began to pace slowly towards the general. The blade came up and slashed down, the motion forming a wave of energy that scythed through the air towards his opponent.  
The general deftly dodged the blast and brought his blade up to deflect another sent his way, "Beryl taught you a couple of her parlor tricks I see."  
"She taught me more than that." The air seemed to whip around the captain for a moment and an eerie glow surrounded him. And just like that, he disappeared.  
Sensing a trick, the general scanned the horizon, trying to pick out any strangeness with the surroundings. Suddenly, his senses began to peak and he flung himself backwards, barely dodging a skewering slash to his head. Rolling, he came up in an instantly defensible stance. This time, he closed his eyes, trusting his instincts more than his sight.  
Another of the energy blasts appeared and the general moved to deflect it up to the sky. Then, he whirled around, bringing his blade to clash with that of his now visible opponent. In a quick move, the general snaked his foot out and tripped the captain, dumping him onto his back. He brought the blade down in a killing slash, but the captain had disappeared again.  
He sensed the attack coming from behind and pointed his hand towards the onrushing captain, whispering softly, "Maelstrom."  
Luminiscent blue flames erupted from his finger tips, spilling over the unfortunate captain almost like liquid. The captain screamed in pain, beating himself frantically to put out the clinging fire, but to no avail. The fire was an unnatural conflagration, formed from the unholy power of phantoms and spirits, grasping at the very tendrils of one's soul. Like all magicks, a two edged sword which both empowered and exhausted, swaying its user towards misuse.  
The general closed his hand and breathed in deeply. The licking flames slowly died away, leaving a charred, but still alive captain twitching on the floor. He turned slowly and took two paced to stare down at the burned and battered soldier.  
"How did you...You can't-"  
"Use magic?" Jadeite smiled briefly at the pathetic creature, "I assure you it was not easy to learn. But, it is amazingly useful, if tempting. And temptation is what has brought you here today."  
The general lifted his blade, holding it like he would a dagger. He hesitated for a moment, "I apologize for any discomfort you might feel."  
He stabbed the blade down, muffling the captain's scream of terror with a muted clack as the sword drove itself into the stone below. "Thus die all traitors."  
The sound of clapping filled the room and Jadeite looked up to see a beautiful woman in an evening gown step in. His heart froze and for the first time, fear managed to work itself onto his features. The woman called out, "Congratulations, Jadeite. I'm glad to see that you survived."  
"The feeling is not mutual. Is this how you decide to deal with me? A powerless lackey and a company of troops. I'd like to think you have more respect for me."  
"Oh, I do. I really do. In fact, I actually had specific orders for him not to attack you. I see that he did not follow them too well. I didn't like him anyway."  
Beryl smiled winningly, a smile with which she had charmed away half the Royal Army, "Come now Jadeite. Put the sword down, so that we can talk. We are friends after all."  
"I am no friend to a traitor of my Prince."  
She frowned, "Jadeite, it saddens me that you are so fanatical about devotion to Endymion. I don't want to hurt him after all."  
Sarcastically, "Really now. You have led a revolution against him, using his own armies to attack his people. You have raped and pillaged the countryside, slaughtered those loyal to him, and have sent armed troops into his palace to take him as a prisoner for your twisted ends. Call me old fashioned, but I think that constitutes harm."  
"Jadeite, I am not a traitor. I am merely acting in the best interests of the dominion."  
"You certainly have a funny way of showing it."  
"Then how can I prove it to you?"  
"By turning around, marching your forces out of here and leaving us in peace."  
"I'm afraid I cannot do that. Endymion is mine. Move aside."  
He did not budge, "Endymion is the property of himself and whoever he chooses to give himself to. Last I checked you were not on the list."  
Her eyes flashed in anger, "How can you condone what he has done? He has run off with that Moon slut!"  
"It is a matter of the heart. You can either accept it and leave or try to get past me yourself."  
Beryl smiled predatorily, a clear departure from the geniality of before, "Jadeite, my friend, you are making a very huge mistake."  
She began to draw power around herself, calling upon her vast resources of magicks for the coming battle.  
Jadeite's eyes betrayed a little bit more fear, but he pushed it away with a warrior's training. Gulping softly, he intoned, "I am ready."  
  
I sat bolt upright, sweat drenching my shirt. I gasped for air until my eyes focused on the room around me and I realized that I could breathe again. I lifted a shaking hand to my now spiky hair. No matter how I tried, I could not make them stop.  
A concerned voice from my side sounded it my ear and my raven haired angel slipped her arm around me, "Ryan, what's wrong?"  
I did not answer immediately, reliving every agonizing moment,  
right until my defeat at her hands. My hands opened and closed reflexively trying to grasp the useless blade again.  
She repeated her question, "Ryan, what's wrong? Please tell me."  
"No-nothing, Rei-chan." I lay back down, trying to reassure her with my actions.  
Quietly, "That is obviously not the case."  
She felt my forehead and then recoiled slightly, "You're clammy, sweating."  
"Please, Rei-chan...."  
"Shut up." She snuggled near me, sharing her body warmth with me, "You were having a nightmare, weren't you?"  
"Yes, Rei-chan." 'Worse than you could possibly imagine'  
"What about?"  
I closed my eyes, "I can't tell you. Not yet."  
"Please, Ryan," Rei leaned forward to let her lips brush against mine, "They won't go away unless you talk about them."  
"Not yet, not yet, not yet...." I curled into fetal position, exhausted from the assault. She spoke no more, merely holding me until I fell into broken sleep. 


	32. Chapter 32

-  
Chapter 32  
  
She could not have known the deep pain that resided within my soul. She could not have felt the utter loneliness that I had known, the deep guilt that haunted me every moment of my day, nor the darkness that had forever clung to his every thought and action. I closed my eyes. I did not want her to know such pain.  
Rei slept blissfully, an idyllic smile forever on her face. I tied the tie almost violently and yanked it into place. 'I do not deserve her'  
I shrugged on my jacket and examined myself in the mirror. Blue on blue on a black suit. Impeccable as usual.  
"So many dark colors? I though I had taught you better than that."  
"Did I wake you?"  
"No, your absence woke me." Rei sat up, stretching out like a cat "So early? It's five thirty in the morning."  
I leaned over the bed to kiss her, "My work is never done. I'll be back early though. Say seven?"  
She sighed happily, "Alright. I'll have something special for you when you get back."  
"You spoil me far too much." I bowed slightly and then whistled my way to the door.  
  
As soon as he had left, Rei stopped smiling and started to think. His words had been unintelligible, but she could see the latent fear which touched his eyes as he woke, as he relived his nightmare in his imagination.  
His suave facade could not faze her. Gazing at the clock, she calculated quickly. About twelve hours before she had to be back in the apartment to greet him. Muttering to herself, "Alright, let's get busy."  
Twenty minutes later, she was inside the shrine, stoking the holy fire to full force. Rei was dressed her in tradition priestess robes and began to meditate. The fire seemed to take of life of its own, roiling and burning up to the ceiling.  
She whispered softly, "Tell me. Tell me what his dreams were."  
The fire seemed to ponder that for a moment, then flared up even higher. She gasped at the vision. Soldiers dying, an endless stream of death consuming all that attacked it, and a terrible monster that sprang from a seemingly innocent woman. It was garbled, but she could glean enough from the general details to know that something was inherently wrong. But as soon as she tried to push further, the fire abruptly consumed the images, refusing to impart any more knowledge onto their master.  
Rei sat back, puzzled. 'Why would Ryan be dreaming about such things?'  
It made little sense. He watch beeped and she saw that it was almost ten. Had she spent four hours there already?  
At any rate, she had a brunch with Minako in less than an hour, a sort of sendoff to the wonderful world of investment banking.  
She gathered her robes around her and ran to her old room to change.  
  
"Yo, Ryan."  
I looked up to see my vice president of sales peeking into the room, "Hey, Jerry. What's up?"  
"They just promoted Steve Chalmers to COO. Looks like you're going to get a load off of your back."  
"You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that." I paused for a moment, "That means we have a spot open for executive VP. I'll be sure to mention your name."  
Jerry grinned, "Thanks, boss. But I'm just a little old sales guy. I know what I'm good at."  
"Hey, with the sales reports I've been getting, you are more than good at it. I'll speak to the board."  
He smiled and waved and retreated from my office quickly. I sighed in relief and made a note to call Steve to congratulate him. I also took the time to think.  
'The last time I had dreams like this, something happened. I moved to Japan, in time to defeat the first wave of youma attacks. I do not believe in coincidences. Something is going to happen and soon'  
That put a sour taste in my mouth.  
  
"He had a nightmare last night."  
"Has he tried counseling?"  
Rei stuck her tongue out an Minako, "Be serious. I checked out his dream in the fire. It is strange, but I cannot penetrate it."  
"Really? That is kinda of weird." Minako spoke carefully, "Have you considered the possibility that Ryan might be that mysterious contact we found a while ago? Too many pieces fit. He arrived at the same time, left at the same time."  
"The thought has crossed my mind. But there's not nearly enough to tie him to us. Additionally, it's kinda strange to peg someone we know. Just because he showed up in my life."  
"Yeah, I know. But we're out of suspects at this point."  
"We'll see. I'll keep an eye on Ryan. I think I would almost like it if he were. He might be able to understand me better."  
Minako shrugged, "How are you guys otherwise?"  
"Wonderful. He's your typical doting boyfriend. Remember Mamoru when he started dating Usagi? He's terrible, but I like it anyway."  
"Sounds like heaven. I'm jealous."  
Rei looked at her friend with a petulant smile, "Don't even think about it."  
Minako looked shocked, "You don't trust me? You don't need to worry about him, he's as true to you as could be. Most unfortunate."  
"You have no idea what a relief that is."  
They chatteed about a few more things until the food arrived and their conversation slowly drifted back to the topic at hand. Rei though aloud, "What has Mamoru said about all this?"  
"He's as in the dark as the rest of us. Although is quickly becoming Ryan's buddy. I think we may need to ask him to mine that friendship too. See what turns up."  
"It won't be easy. He's rather good at hiding things about himself when he wants to."  
"Hmm. It's a little depressing, ne?"  
"Well, what can you do? We just need one break and we can figure out what's going on."  
  
The hours ticked away, as Ryan toiled at his job and Rei at discerning meaning from his tortured dreams. As seven o'clock approached, both were a little disappointed by the day that they had led, but were looking forward to each other's companionship and company. Little did both know that certain forces had other plans for the night.  
The green eyes gazed at the crystal ball and then closed her eyes. A smile tugged at the lips beneath them, as those eyes tracked the flow of energies through Earth and eventually fixed upon an opportune time to strike.  
"Now!"  
  
Quite unfairly, the alarm sounded in the middle of dessert. Rei dropped her hand to her bag, covering a muffled beeping. Her skin went a little paler and she excused herself from the table. "Sorry, Ryan-kun, I need to take this."  
I smiled understandingly, knowing full well what the beeping sound meant. I carefully dissected my sponge cake and took a savory bite, while waiting for Rei to suddenly rush out of the room and down the stairs. Surprisingly, she did not, which led me to examine our bedroom. An opened window betrayed her exit and I sighed melodramatically. A short whisper, and I founded myself clothed in a formless black cloak which equally prevented easy identification and afforded maximum flexibility in the fight.  
I set out over the rooftops to find them, and was aghast at the size of the force facing them. Unlike the smaller incursions of before, this time the enemy numbered in the dozens, and fought in surprisingly uniform formations. The senshi that had arrived on the scene had been forced to retreat several blocks to better defensive positions, holding out until reinforcements could arrive. There were no flying youma this time, an oversight for which I was thankful. With air support, the defeat of such an army would be well nigh impossible as opposed to highly unlikely.  
But, without another thought, I summoned cloaking magic around me to shield my advance into the midst of their lines. I plotted a long ballistic trajectory which would place me between the first and second rank, where their energy attacks would be the most unwieldy and my close combat skills most useful.  
'No time like the present.' I thought as I sailed through the air. The youma did not notice me until it was far too late, when I cut one down with my sword. Another turned to engage me, but I skewered it ask well, moving faster than I thought myself possible of.  
The youma line came apart in disarray as the attackers sought to vanquish the swordsman in their midst. Above the battle cries, I heard the sound of a renewed senshi counteroffensive, taking full advantage of the disorganization of the attacking enemy.  
A Mars Flame Sniper flambed the nearest youma, and a couple more attacks carved away portions of the enemy line. In a sense, I envied them their ability to attack at range, but contented myself with fending off the many blades of enemies all around.  
Another senshi attack which I did not recognize vaporized a few more of the attackers, leaving little more than a third of the force left. A well aimed rose caught another in the back, leaving it to die in horrible pain.  
The enemy fought on bravely, but to no avail as senshi reinforcements poured attack after attack onto the confused mass. I stole away from the slaughter, so not to catch any stray bolts.  
I panted, watching the proceedings with a sense of victory. The senshi ably dispatched the rest of the attackers, leaving nothing to chance. I had long since abandoned any moral judgement about vanquishing youma, as they were mere extensions of their creator's will, physical manifestations of magic if you will.  
Which explained why their bodies disappeared after every assault, leaving nothing but silence to reign over the battle field. I bowed my head in relief, then froze as I heard a distant clapping that seemed to echo off the tall buildings around me.  
'It can't be....' 


	33. Chapter 33

-  
Chapter 33  
  
A tall woman stepped out into the clear moonlight, "Well done, well done! I am truly impressed. Have you been keeping up with your swordplay?"  
I gawked for a moment, not quite believing my eyes, "You....you're alive?"  
"And well. And it's not nice to gape, Jadeite."  
My eyes narrowed and I lifted my sword, "I see the senshi had a small oversight on their part. No worries. I don't mind cleanup."  
The woman gazed at me confidently, a smug smile on her lips, "Come now Jadeite. You surely remember the last time we fought. You had a little trouble breathing.....which is just as well. It's not nice to strike ladies."  
Hatred boiled up to the surface and I snarled, and leapt at her. She disappeared suddenly and I turned to gain my bearings. She had reappeared on streetlamp post, her arms in a contemplative pose. "Still the hot headed man I have always known. Is this is how you treat an old friend?"  
"As I said, so many years ago, no enemy of my prince is a friend of mine."  
Beryl sighed and let herself float to the ground, "One thousand years have not improved your manners one bit. Although you seem to have made some new friends in the process."  
I spotted the senshi rushing down the street towards us and I smirked, "I should have known. You were always a terrible tactician Beryl. Attacking down a street, against senshi in defensible position."  
She showed a hint of anger at that exchange, "At least I still lead my armies. What are you but a washed up General pandering to the will of that Moon slut and her pathetic defenders?"  
"You were defeated by those pathetic fighters. As you can see, there are more of them than before. They are stronger, more powerful than they have ever been. That you still believe that you can win is laughable. Your chances were long even when you had capable leaders helping you."  
I lifted my chin imperiously and sheathed my sword, "You are pathetic."  
Her eyes flashed and she backed up a step, hissing, "We shall see."  
She breathed out slowly, calling to her disposal the vast magical reserves she had at her disposal. I braced myself preparing for an attack. It came from an unexpected quarters.  
In an instant, she battered down my mental defenses, brutally and efficiently swiping knowledge from my brain before I could erect a shield. I snarled and prepared to beat her back, but she withdrew content with the information she had gathered.  
Her eyes went blank for a moment, then a malevolent smile came over her face. "Ah Jadeite. You and your weaknesses."  
"Beryl!" Sailor Moon stopped twenty feet away and her hands came up in a stylized position, "Rainbow Moon-"  
Beryl's strong voice cut through the night, "Sailor Moon! We are old enemies, but I wish to offer you a temporary truce."  
Sailor Moon stopped for a moment, "Why?"  
"Because, I have something to offer to you. A gift of great importance. Information."  
Mamoru stepped forward, his eyes narrow with hate, "What information? Why should we trust you?"  
"Why, information of a traitor in your midst. The only information ever worth having," she gestured grandly, "I ask the gentleman in black to pull off his mask, to show the world who he truly is."  
I glared at her, wishing I could strike her dead, but I did not budge.  
Her smile turned evil once again, "If the gentleman will not reveal himself in the next ten seconds, then I will be forced to reveal him myself." Her voice turned to once of steel, "And I will not be so kind."  
I closed my eyes in pure regret and glared at again at Beryl, wishing I could strike her down. Pulling off the cloak swathing my head, I let the senshi get a full glimpse of my profile, knowing the repercussions in full. Somewhere, I heard Rei gasp, "Ryan...."  
"Ryan, you say, Sailor Mars? I am not familiar with these human names, so I can merely relate to you who I know him as. Look beyond the wrinkles Sailor Mars, the age. Look beyond the remorse and see your enemy for who he truly is, the Dark General Jadeite!"  
I let loose a battle cry and lunged at her with my blade. She disappeared again, to reappear farther down the street, laughing uncontrollably. I trembled with anger that I could barely contain within myself. She called out gaily, "Thank you, Sailor Moon for your time. Until next time!"  
  
Rei whispered to herself, "No...no...it can't be. No, no, no."  
Ami tried to comfort her, "Rei-chan, it will be okay."  
"How?" She screamed at the top of her lungs, "DAMN YOU, LIAR! You LIED to me! You lied...." her voice trailed off into a whisper and she wept bitterly.  
Ryan moved forward to comfort her, pushing through the ranks of senshi to enfold her in his arms, "Rei-chan, please listen to me."  
"You lied...you lied...liar...liar. You were an imposter. You lied to me...."  
"I will not deny it. But that does not diminish who I am. I am still the man who would give his life for you...who loves you more than he loves himself."  
She did not hear him and slowly pulled away. Her eyes slowly gained coherence and a heartbreakingly stone cast came over her face, "I don't know what to think anymore.....Goodbye Jadeite. Ryan....whoever you are." And she ran.  
  
I could feel her take my heart into my hand and crush it. I hung my head low and then rose up to give myself some dignity. "Shall we get on with the judgement or should we just skip to the punishment itself?"  
Usagi sighed and half chuckled, "We're not quite as capricious as your old...boss. But we do have some questions." She poked me suspiciously in the belly, "Like aren't you supposed to be dead?"  
"A common misconception," I said with irony that could cut butter. I related to them the entire sordid story of my entombing and waiting and waiting to be released. My life in America, the dreams which had brought me here, my meeting with Mamoru, and other delectable topics.  
It was cathartic, and although I suspected I was in no better a position than I was when I started, I felt better having gotten it off my chest. Humorously, 'At the very least, it will provide a bit of clarity in my life'  
Usagi thought about it a moment and then turned to Mamoru, "Do you trust him?"  
"With my life."  
She sighed, "I was afraid you were going to say that. You'll excuse us of course, Jadeite."  
I bowed at the waist and transformed back into street clothes before moving out of hearing range.  
The conversation they held in the alley was brief but heated and I sighed. The senshi filed out of the alley in civilian clothing, with Usagi and Mamoru at the head of them. "Ryan, since you'll be working with us from now on, I think you'll need to know your teammates."  
I grinned and Usagi gave me a solemn glare, "Mamoru was very persuasive. This is a great responsibility you're taking on. Do you understand me?"  
"It's not exactly a new one for me."  
"In that case, I believe you know most of whom you will be working with." She moved slightly, to reveal the three senshi that I did know and three more that I did not.  
My grin died on my face when I saw the grim looks on most of their faces, "Um...nice meeting all of you."  
Mamoru nudged me in the side and muttered, "They'll get used to you eventually."  
"Yeah, I can see it in their faces." I sighed, "Thanks guys for the vote of confidence. I really do appreciate it and I'll do whatever I can to earn your trust."  
Minako stepped forward, her face twisted uncomfortably, "From a warrior to a warrior, I shall take that as your word. Though I warn you. Betray us and the consequences will be most dire."  
"I have seen betrayal. I KNOW betrayal, far more than any of you ever could. I have betrayed, been betrayed....But I will not betray you."  
"Let us hope so, Jadeite. For your sake." 


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34  
  
She didn't come back that night. Not that I expected her to. I saw the my dessert and hers, cooling on the tabling and I pulled out the plastic wrap to put it into the refrigeration. Tossing the other dishes into the sink, I felt somewhat relieved.  
The senshi had not killed me, a funny twist of fate that I would not question. It was probably a capricious choice on their part, but I would not underestimate the influence that Mamoru probably had on the judgement. 'Who else might I be able to count on my side'  
I thought I had detected Sailor Jupiter giving me an encouraging nod and Mercury seemed to forgive me for my past. But the rest seemed very wary of me, especially my erstwhile friend Sailor Venus.  
But those feelings of relief could not combat the genuine pain that I felt. Rei believe that I had betrayed her, a feeling which I did not share but could sympathize with.  
I stared at the bedroom we shared and sighed again. I went in to pull out a couple of blankets and my pillow. I would not be able to sleep there alone.  
I set up as comfortably as I could on the couch and let myself drift into aimless sleep.  
  
"Ryan, you look terrible. More so than usual."  
"Tell me about it." I cricked my neck and squinted at my daily reports, "I slept on the couch."  
"Fight?"  
"Something like that."  
"I knew she was a sensible one." Dana fiddled with her highlighter and sighed, "What about?"  
"Not sure." I fibbed quickly, "All I know is that she's just not talking to me right now."  
She pondered that for a moment, "You must have done something."  
"I'm sure I have. I just wish I could talk to her."  
"You've got to prove yourself worthy of it. Something that can't be bought....you have to get her trust somehow." She mused on that for a moment, then cracked a grin, "I'm sure you'll figure it out."  
Wearily, "I do hope so. I don't think I can live like this anymore."  
  
She did not come back the night after either. Or the night after that. Slowly, I resigned myself to her complete absence from my life. It was numbing, terrible, but something that needed to be done. Life had become a perpetual cycle of work, debriefing and sleep.  
Daily, I reported to Minako and Mamoru my findings about Beryl and her new armies, relating personal stories and experiences to give the senshi whatever edge they needed to triumph over her. Mamoru's support had pulled me through the roughest time and I devoted myself to the senshi's cause.  
Yet, even that could not gnaw away at the emptiness that had settled in my heart. But as with all my problems, I papered them over with more work, more activities.  
  
As usual, I had come home late, wrecked by the constant demands that I forced upon myself. Before going in, I took the chance to light up slowly and breathed out quietly. More than Rei occupied my mind. Beryl had survived, there was little to dispute that claim. It was most likely her that was summoning the legions of attackers to fight us. She seemed less irascible than before which was bad for us. First hand experience told me that anger makes for mistakes...hurried decisions. Beryl was more susceptible than most. Her cool logic made her a more dangerous opponent.  
The good news was that her grasp of tactical matters had not improved much over the years. She truly was helpless without a good team of tacticians and strategists backing her up. Had she not encouraged competition and infighting among us, she might have actually gained victory many years ago.  
With Beryl at the helm, I knew that attacks would utilize brute force more than subtlety. She was probably using her old haunt in the Dark Kingdom as a base of operations. I knew most of the old entrances into there and a couple of more low key ones. They would be necessary to take the battle to Beryl herself. I would not involve the senshi in this battle of mine. It was personal, now.  
I dropped the cig to the floor and stamped it out with my shoe. There was no salvation to be found in such things. Perhaps I would be able to find it in sleep.  
  
I fumbled with the lock, my key scrapping against the metal several times before I managed to open the door. I doffed my coat, hanging it up on a coat rack near the door. I would transfer it to the room later, I just needed to sit down before I-  
My eyes flashed open and my hand dropped to my side, instinctively grasping for a sword that was not there. Calmly, "Show yourself."  
Silence answered me. I sighed, "Please don't insult me. I know you are there."  
A feminine giggle and the lights flipped on. Beryl lay on the loveseat, wearing a short dress, in a color which I term as hooker red, which complemented her flowing red hair, "You always know how to make me smile."  
"I sincerely hope you burn in hell."  
She sighed and got up. Beryl examined herself in the mirror, "You know, I could get used to these mortal clothes. I rather like them."  
"They suit you rather well." I spoke with no small sense of irony, "What do you want?"  
She ignored me and picked up a picture on a table, "Ah, I suspected this place had a woman's touch. IT isn't military enough. Who is she?"  
"Give me that." I crossed the room and yanked it away from her, placing it out of her reach.  
"She's very pretty, Jadeite. You should be proud."  
I glared at her for a moment, then composed myself into a set of icy courtesy, "I am. What do you want?"  
"Why the same thing that you want, Jadeite. Power, unrequited power. The ability to hold another life in my hands and crush it."  
"To become Providence....for the most sublime thing that one can know in this world is the power to reward and punish." I whispered.  
"You never told me that you were a poet." Beryl drew closer to me, "Tell me what you want Jadeite. I want to help you. I can help you get it. Just help me...."  
I tried to look away but she grabbed my shirt and pulled me closer to her mesmerizing gaze, "Please, Jadeite....I need you, more than I've ever needed anyone else in my life. Please tell me what you want...." she closed her eyes and then displayed the most generous smile I have ever seen on her face, "Sailor Mars....You want her....I can see it in your eyes.  
"I can give her to you. I can make her your slave. She'll be yours forever, to do with whatever you wish. To love, to punish, to hold till the end of time. And all I ask is for one small favor."  
Seductively, "Just help me. Lead my armies. Vanquish the senshi from this earth. You shall have everything that you have ever desired."  
Even as I entertained visions of Rei in my arms again, I pushed Beryl away from my, hissing softly, "No corrupt bargain you could offer me would ever change my mind. I have chosen my side."  
She laughed softly, "Ah my fanatical friend, you are such a waste of talent. I shall enjoy seeing you die...again."  
"You will not have the luxury, Beryl. Once upon a time, you were my friend. That friendship has purchased you your safety from this apartment." I felt the cool metal of my sword filling my hand, "Leave before I try to kill you."  
Beryl smiled and gracefully walked to the door, "I had a feeling it might end this way. Good bye Jadeite, you old fool. Take care of those you love. Your days are numbered."  
And she left and I finally let the trembling work its way to the surface. Still, I feared her and her powers. But with time perhaps, I might be able to overcome that, to win out against it, and to eradicate the last vestiges of the petty Dark General Jadeite.  
  
Three watched from the shadows of a nearby building.  
"She left. Who do you think it was? A friend? A lover? A prostitute?"  
Mamoru pursed his lips, "Perhaps. But my bet would be that it was a temptation. The red hair, the green eyes.....My guess is Beryl herself."  
Minako's eyes widened, "No..."  
"Why not? It makes sense. She batters down Jadeite in front of his erstwhile allies and then contacts him with a bribe. To lead an army, to gain revenge on us."  
"But why?"  
Ami, who had been silent up until then, spoke softly, "Think of it. He's the last of them left. The four generals. He knew our identities....at least mine, and Rei's and Usagi's. From the way that he talks about Beryl, she's not a particularly competent tactical leader. Who better to seek out?"  
Mamoru nodded, "Not to mention, she has to know that odds are against her. She saw eight senshi, not the five she remembered. Plus one extremely dangerous rogue general mixing things up.  
"She's also had a history of trying to turn us. Remember how she got to me?"  
Minako nodded, "You've convinced me. The real question then is whether she was successful."  
Ami sighed, "I want to say no...but we can't be certain."  
Mamoru shook his head, "There are a couple of ways we can find out. Sailor Moon could hit him with a Moon Healing, Escalation. If he has any darkness in his heart, he'll be instantly vaporized.  
"But knowing Jadeite, he's got some loose baggage rattling around there....so even if his intentions are good, he'll be killed instantly. We can always ask Rei to probe him with her fire or hit him with a charm, but with the shape she's in...."  
Minako finished the sentence, "She'd just as likely condemn as exonerate him. Those aren't good choices Mamoru."  
He sighed, "Ami, can you do anything with your computer?"  
"Yeah, probe for weaknesses and whatnot....but I don't know...." she trailed off, "Wait a second. Perhaps I can do something."  
Ami turned to her computer and typed furiously. Minako rolled her eyes and Mamoru grinned in spite of himself, "What are you planning to do?"  
"I can test his weaknesses pretty easily. But I am going to go one step further, I'm going to try to see detect his power levels. I recorded his power levels many years ago, when we met him face to face. They were off the charts, primarily because of his efforts in draining and gathering life energy. If they are lower than then, I would argue that he isn't feeding off the energy of humans anymore."  
"Or he's just hiding it better."  
Ami shrugged, "It's a half measure. But I would bet that my computer can burn through most of that stuff and I haven't seen any strange disappearances or mysterious drainings in the news lately."  
Her computer beeped a couple of times and she tapped a couple more keys, "Alright, let's run this bad boy." The computer scanned the apartment, and the bright signature of Jadeite popped up.  
Ami superimposed it onto Jadeite's old profile, "His emissions are twenty percent of what they were. We may have an answer."  
Mamoru tapped his fingers together, "But he's capable of using the same powers as he did before. Does that have anything to do with it?"  
Ami shrugged, "It could be that he merely changes his sources of power. The ability to cloak or move quickly are hardly condemning powers. I'm convinced. He's not evil." Mamoru nodded in agreement.  
Minako let her eyes narrow, "I'm not quite as trusting as you guys. I think you're letting your personal feelings get in the way of the matter. He took Rei hostage to get away from us. Even if we don't count his past history, he's hardly the most stable person to count on. I just know, I have to be sure....somehow." 


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35  
  
I rolled off the couch, cursing the mores which forced me to sleep out there night after night. I slammed my fist on the ground and then withdrrew it quickly, feeling blood well up in a self inflicted bruise. Too tired for tears, too tired to think, I flipped onto my back to gaze at the clock. The red numbers, 9:30, glared at me and I let my head rest on the shag carpeting of my living room.  
I wanted to die. But, I reflected with a grim smile, such pleasures were not mine to partake of. My life was bound to others. I sat up slowly, deciding that that day would be a work day, though not in the traditional sense.  
Reaching over to grab the phone, I coughed and called Dana, to let her know that I was sick and couldn't make it.  
That day would be a planning day, to plot assault routes into the Dark Kingdom and with luck, vanquish Beryl once and for all. I held few illusions about the efficacy of any plans that I could come up with. Wherever in the Dark Kingdom we went, we would be vastly outnumbered by defending youma. The keystone of the plan would be to lure as many of them as possible into a trap on our side, then take advantage of the momentary disparity to launch an attack on Beryl's palace itself.  
I thought about it for a moment, then scratched it. The risk involved would be immense, with the very real possibility of several senshi dying. Jumping blindly into a situation would not be ideal. What were acceptible losses to me, would not be to anyone else.  
Perhaps a more conventional approach. Initial scouting followed by an attack via a less known route? Beryl had probably already liberally covered such routes in traps. Any sensible commander, and most idiotic ones would do the same.  
I sighed, 'Back to the drawing board.'  
  
Perversely, it made her feel better knowing that Ryan was punishing himself far more than she could ever. The past few nights had not been good ones, so torn had she been over the proceedings of the last couple of days.  
Then Mamoru had gotten back to her, saying that Ryan had managed to guilt himself into sleeping on the couch and could barely function through the day. Staying at home had made it slightly more bearable.  
A sadness marred her beautiful face. But she could not live like this forever. She supposed that she still cared for him, but the deep primal revulsion she felt at most recent revelations still haunted her thoughts. Aloud, "But why should I trust anything that Beryl says? She's more my enemy than even Jadeite."  
But those thoughts triggered even deeper ones, as she questioned even why he had hired her. At some point, it occurred to her that he might have chosen her knowing full well what might happen. Her sadness turned to restrained rage "Damn you, Ryan. Damn you to hell. Damn you for all this."  
She grabbed her purse and her subway card. She would visit him this time, to give him a piece of her mind. It was unlike Rei to avoid conflict. There was no reason that this time should be any different.  
Twenty minutes later, she slipped the key into the lock and flung the door open. She called out, "Ryan! We need to talk."  
There was no answer and she slapped herself on the head, "Of course he won't be here. He's at work. Well, he's not dodging this time."  
She made her way to the living room and then stopped at what she saw. Ryan, was sprawled across the couch, in a most uncomfortable position. Rei immediately rushed to his side, her heart racing, but then calmed down to see that he was still breathing and appeared only to be sleeping.  
His blond hair messily lay across his forehead over a face that seemed accustomed to dull pain. A single tear had leaked out of his eyes and worked its way down the angular contours of his face. He breathed in and out irregularly. A pen lay suspended from his hand, with a stack of papers spread out messily over the coffee tables. Plans of some sort she mused.  
A cup of rapidly cooling tea sat at one edge of the table and a picture of her in the corner, so that whenever he looked up, he would be able to see her smiling face. The plans themselves were too vague to be understood, but a couple pieces caught her attention.  
She looked around, as if to prevent anyone from spying on her and then picked up a particularly interesting piece written in Ryan's long, discursive hand.  
'My dearest Rei-chan. I suppose I ought to start with a confession and an affirmation. I am the dark general Jadeite. I lied to you. Once. But you must understand my position. When I first got to know you, I was content to live my life in neutrality. I loved the freedom that humanity wrought upon me and I made it my personal duty to experience every instant of that. But, from the first day, you overwhelmed me with life, vivacity that I could not even conceive of. To see you, the selfless manner which you used yourself to defence humanity rather than simply enjoy it, caused me to have my first real crisis of identity. At that point, I realized that I could not allow myself to be guilty of a crime by inaction. And so I followed in your footsteps, knowing the perilous journey that I had embarked upon.  
'Yet at the same time, I unconsciously started on a parallel journey. As wary as I was of Sailor Mars, I found kinship with Rei Hino. A confidant, a person I could trust, and a cherished friend. I considered myself lucky to have gotten that far. Yet, you overwhelmed me yet again, introducing to me the one thing that my life missed. You tore down the impenetrable ice that I cloaked my heart in, forced me to realize that I wanted you more than anything else in this world. Even the exquisite pain which I suffer now, is welcome, because it reminds me of the bliss we shared not days ago. I don't expect this letter to change your mind, nor do I expect you to forgive me. I can live with that. I have betrayed your trust far too much for compassion. Just know that I love you...and will until the day that I die.'  
She knelt beside him, reaching out to brush away the tear which marred his features, then withdrew suddenly, from strange feelings of loathing and unworthiness. Without another word, she fled the apartment, leaving the general to his silence.  
  
I awoke to the faintest smells of perfume. Knowing that it was merely a vain hope, I could only dream that my angel had returned to me. I spotted the cold tea on my table and then yawned. I had fallen asleep in my day clothes, and now my neatly ironed shirt had been wrinkled. I sighed and pulled it off, and padded to the bedroom to replace it with a new one from the closet. Surprisingly, the doorbell rang and I pulled it on quickly, running a comb through my hair before seeing it.  
Emotional wreck I was, I could not let people see that. I looked at the mirror and a slightly disheveled executive stared back. 'About as good as it's going to get'  
I coughed into my hand and walked over to open the door, half expecting Rei to be there. Thus, it was with great surprise that I saw the blonde senshi, Minako, standing there in front of me.  
I covered it with a suave smile, "To what do I owe this pleasure?"  
"Well, I called your office to see if you'd be up for lunch. They said you were sick. Knowing your difficulties with telling certain aspects of the truth, I came to see that for myself."  
Dryly, "I'm glad that we're on such good terms."  
"So I guess you're okay for lunch after all." she sounded smug.  
I sighed, "Would I be able to say no?"  
  
Before perusing the menu, I started the meal by ordering a scotch on the rocks with a twist. Minako stared at me calmly before ordering a soda.  
Mockingly, "Escaping from reality?"  
Darkly, "Do you have a better idea?"  
"Come now, Ryan. You're part of a team now. You can't always be wallowing in your own self pity. There is so much that we can do together. We have much we can learn from each other. That's why I asked you here today."  
Smoothly, "Bullshit. We both know why you asked me here."  
She affected a look of shocked innocence, "What do you mean?"  
"Come on, Minako-chan. I may be emotionally unstable, alcoholic, and sleep deprived. But accord me at least the same respect that you would a real enemy. You are here to gauge my reliability. Certainly not Mamoru's doing. He trusts me beyond a doubt. Not Usagi's either, for she is willing to trust Mamoru's word for it. No, I think that this is a mission you have taken on your own. What else is a leader of the senshi to do?"  
Her eyes narrowed, "How did you know I was the leader of the senshi?"  
"Don't insult me. You ordered the attack to capture me, you are willing to argue against Serenity's direct orders. What else would you be?"  
She hammered her fist lightly onto the table, "Assuming I am, then what?"  
I took my drink from the waiter and took a deep gulp, "What do you mean?"  
Minako grabbed the sides of the table and thrust her face into mine, "What are your intentions? Who are you really, Jadeite?"  
I responded with deadly quiet, "My intentions have been clear since the first day. I will not...cannot harm the senshi in any way."  
She sat back down and glared, "I wish I could believe that."  
"What reason have you not to?"  
Almost hissing, "Well, you did lie to my best friend. Took her hostage once or twice....oh and tried to kill her a couple times or more! You deserve nothing more than death."  
"I would like nothing more at this point. The only thing keeping from an honorable death are my obligations." I paused for a moment, "And some lingering, if unjustified hopes on my part."  
Her eyes glowed, "Ah, your liason with Rei." Bitterly, "Tell me, was it good for you?"  
I glared at her, "Don't mock me, Minako."  
"I already am. Even the enemies I fought were not so callous as to toy with the hearts of others."  
I let my voice drop to a whisper, "I did not toy with her. Accuse me of that again, and I shall strike you down where you stand, the consequences be damned."  
Minako grinned in triumph, but I cut her off, "I love Rei more than life itself. And if that is what it takes to prove it. Give it your best shot."  
My dagger had appeared in my hand and I held it across the table to her.  
Silence reigned over the table and slowly, a genuine smile blossomed over Minako's face. "Thank you, Ryan. For proving to me what I suspected."  
It was my turn for confusion, "What?"  
"I trust you, Ryan. I really do now. I know that you would never willingly hurt Rei. That you would die to protect her. I just wanted you to prove it to me."  
"This was a test?"  
"Oh yes, in the worst possible way. I needed to make you angry, enraged somehow. If I could do that, I could prove your loyalty beyond a doubt."  
I bowed my head, "I am glad that you trust me now, but that still does not help my situation. I still love her...with all my heart and soul. I doubt I can live much longer without her."  
Minako half smiled at me, "The nice thing about being the senshi of love, is that I have a mild predictive ability which extends to matters such as yours. She is very much so in love with you...and I think she'll come around eventually.  
"What is of greater importance is how we are to defeat Beryl. I am certain you've worked up some preliminary plans already."  
I snorted, "What do you take me for? An inexperienced old codger? I've worked up details strategies, all of which I rejected."  
"Why?"  
I took another sip from my drink, "Casualties."  
Minako tapped her long fingers together and closed her eyes, "Well, there's got to be something."  
"We can nullify her advantage if we isolate her in this world. It happened to me, it can happen to her. I think I can work off that."  
Her eyes flitted to mine, "What are you thinking?"  
"Just be ready. I can end this war tonight." 


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36  
  
It was an exceedingly dark and tempestuous night. Even the cement walls of the building creaked and groaned under the constant impact of the wind. Small sticks and stones were sucked into the storm, and battered the wooden roof. The rain had started as a slight drizzle, with it pattering quietly down on the roof. In only a few minutes, the tempest threw itself at Tokyo, turning from a light shower to a full monsoon. The once seemingly friendly drops of rain had grown in number and in size. The pitter-patter of the drops had transformed into the beating of a giant on a drum. Except there were a thousand giants and a thousand drums.  
A crack of lightning lit up the sky with brilliant fire. The thunder tore through his mind like the cry of a million hellhounds, baying and yapping at the gates of Hades.  
Water flowed off his clothes like oil, as he stared up into the heavens, sending up a challenge that could not be refused. His eyes squinted in the darkness, so encompassing were the clouds. The garish lights of Tokyo blared upwards but could not gain purchase against the dark clouds and rain which perverted their beauty into a million amalgamations of shattered light.  
From the height of the building, Jadeite imagined he could touch the clouds themselves and heard the faints tones of a requiem reaching his ears. His sword was loose in his hands, his senses prepared for the coming battle.  
Thunder beat its way across the sky and he wondered about the wisdom of standing atop of building with what amounted to a lightning rod in his hand. He did not worry about that.  
The fear was still there. But this time, he banished it easily from his mind. All that occupied it was the battle he was to face.  
An eerie light filled the air and a dark portal opened in front of him. It glowed, with restrained power, as numerous youma marched out to meet him. He ignored their presence, focused instead on his primary enemy who was still to come.  
  
Beryl exited, a smug smile on her face, "You called, dear sir?"  
I sheathed my sword, staring at her with a noble sadness. "This ends tonight, Beryl. I offer you a deal." S  
he gazed at me with barely controlled excitement, "Yes?"  
"I challenge you to a fight for my freedom. If I win, you will die, and all your corruption shall come to an end. If you win, you are free to do with me as you will. But I cannot bear this anymore. Whatever the outcome, this shall come to an end tonight."  
Lightly, "Seems hardly fair. I do have a distinct advantage over you in every way. I will win."  
"That remains to be seen. En garde, Beryl-hime." I squared off in a backhanded fighting style.  
She nodded and raised her hands to the sky, summoning dark magic to her side. I began to circle warily and she followed, calmly even casually. I lunged for the first attack and she floated above it easily.  
Tauntingly, "Do you really think that I would ever let you go, Jadeite? Did you think that you could ever be free? If you do, I'm sad to say, it simply isn't so. You shall never get away from me."  
"All that you are is a face from the past. An arrogant spirit obsolete ages ago."  
"I am more than the past. I am the face of the future, yours and all of humanity's. For as long as you live, I will still be here."  
I saw my opening and leapt up to meet her, but she floated away, "All that you are is the end of a storm. The first signs of sun are beginning to show. Tonight, I complete the transition to the light."  
"This is not the end, my friend. This is the nightmare that breathes on. I am here to stay, no matter what you try to do and I'll live on long after you're gone."  
"Soon, my sword shall silence you. Come fight me if you dare."  
Beryl smiled, "Silence....are you sure that's what you want?" A black mantle erupted from her finger tips, smothering me like the first time she had used it. Struggled to breathe, I felt the fear come back in full strength. I choked softly, fighting it with all my heart but failing to win. Like the nightmare, I was brought to my knees by an insidious assault, unbecoming of a warrior.  
But, I still had a few more tricks up my sleeves. Closing my eyes, I focused my energies and then whispered the words which had never failed me when I needed salvation. 'Maelstrom'  
Blue fire shot from my finger tips, searing through the mantle easily and carving a way out. The unnatural blackness around me faded, replaced with the normality of Tokyo at night. I stared at Beryl and a slow smile crossed her face, "It would seem that you are more powerful than I last remembered. How unfortunate. Too bad, I expect that I will have to take my leave of you. Until next time-"  
A rose sliced through the water filled air driving itself into the concrete in front of her.  
Another voice cut through the pouring rain, "No! You will not escape tonight, Beryl. I promise you that." Endymion landed deftly beside me and cut a striking pose, "I am Tuxedo Mask! Your reign of terror ends tonight."  
Beryl seemed taken aback, then barked out, "Youma, attack, so I may flee!" A youma grabbed me, trying to pin me down to the ground with a tentacle. I swore, slashing off the appendage before being confronted with another. It's slick and slimy skin struggled to gain purchase with mine, I lifted my sword, feeling lightning strike it, sending electricity through my veins and destroying the grounded youma. I felt a little weak myself but forced the pain down .  
Then, an orange beam attack sliced right in front of Beryl, slamming into the ethereal portal and shutting it down. A blonde senshi smiled and gave me a thumbs up. "I am Sailor Venus, senshi of love and compassion! Queen Beryl, for your evil, I shall vanquish you tonight."  
"A senshi, Tux-boy, and that annoying general, this is becoming most interesting. I didn;t expect so many of you at once. But as they say, take your blessings while you can...." she immediately burst into motion, hurling a lightning bolt at me. I spun to deflect it up to the sky, before stabbing a youma deep in the heart.  
I withdrew quickly and shoved another youma off the side of the building.  
"Mercury Shabon Spray Freezing!" The rain and winds above us crystallized immediately, into an icy arena that shielded us even more.  
"I am Sailor Mercury, champion of water and ice. In the name of Mercury, I shall punish you!"  
Other senshi flooded onto the rooftop, engaging youma and taking potshots at Beryl, when possible. She flung bolt after bolt at me, which I deflected with consummate ease. The youmas around me were no match for the Sailor Senshi, as their attacks consumed them even before they could organize for a counter.  
And then, there was one. Beryl looked almost shocked, at the carnage around her. She gazed upwards, seeing the ice cage which hemmed her in and then glanced behind to see no portal to retreat back to. "Your treachery knows no bounds."  
My practicality does not either. You are too dangerous to let free."  
Beryl smiled evilly, then summoned up her staff and crystal ball. She moved more quickly than I gave her credit for. She smashed Sailor Uranus across the face, even before she could free her sword to block the attack. Sailor Neptune managed to dodge quickly and Sailor Saturn used her glaive to knock Beryl back a step.  
She fought like a mad woman, with no aim save for escape. I willingly clashed with her, knowing that I alone could disarm her in a melee fight. But even then she showed surprising strength as she clawed at my eyes with her wickedly long nails. I fought back the attacks easily, dodging, trying to get a clear shot to simply slug her in the face. But she was too fast for that and disengaged before I had the chance.  
Mamoru hurled a rose at her, but it wilted as it traveled to her, a testament to the negative energy pulsating around her. Aiming carefully, I hurled my blade at her, hoping against all hopes that it would end the fight. But to no avail. She kept on moving.  
And then out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rei leap forward, a fluttering ofuda in her grip. A serene look filled her features as if she had the entire situation under control. Beryl looked at her with disdain and as she came into arms reach, swatted her aside. Rei slammed into the icy walls surrounding us at full speed, and then lay still.  
In Beryl's eyes, I could already see the beginnings of a plan percolating. She would kill Sailor Mars then and there, with a massive energy blast that would shatter the icy prison within which she fought and allow her to escape. I could see her gather power to accomplish the deed and knew what I had to do.  
Whispering half forgotten words, I teleported myself in front of Rei's unconscious body, shielding her best I could from the incoming attack. I felt it sear into my back, burning through the cloak which had served me so well the past few months. The pain tore into my back, collapsing my rib cage as huddled there. The energy slashed into through my back, burning through my ribs and lungs. After reducing my heart to sweet smoke and steam, it continued to explode capillaries until it ruptured the front of my chest. An intense wave of pain slammed into me and I fought for consciousness.  
I knew I would die, but not yet.  
For I was Jadeite, General of the dark Kingdom.  
For I was Jadeite, King of Illusions.  
For I was Jadeite, knight protector of Serenity.  
And a knight knows not pain.  
As if I had flicked a switch, all pain in my body stopped instantly, leaving but an incredible clarity of purpose in my mind. I fed the energy into strong energy shield which ablated the remainder of the blast away, defeating Beryl's final chance at escape.  
I could feel her eyes on me. Fear, hatred, and finally a grudging respect which had eluded me for so many years in her service.  
Faintly, I could hear the sound of an attack being uttered, to vanquish Beryl to the hell she deserved, once and for all. "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy...Kiss!" And then all fell into blackness. 


	37. Epilogue

Epilogue.  
  
Rei opened her eyes to the sound of the falling rain. Her head pounded, but two strong arms pulled her up to her feet. "What just happened?"  
Sailor Jupiter answered grimly, "She's dead. Sailor Moon killed her."  
"I was going to paralyze her, and then she batted me away. And then-" Her voice trailed away as she saw the fallen general at her feet. "He saved me."  
A melange of emotions ran through her head, only stopped by the sudden aching pain that wracked her head. Sailor Jupiter held her arm again, motioning for Mamoru to deal with the bloodied body on the floor.  
Mamoru moved forward silently and knelt beside Jadeite. A doctor's eyes analyzed the wounds. They were immense, far beyond what any mere mortal might have survived. Jadeite had harnessed the energy that Beryl had hurled at him, using his body as a conduit to defeat her last bid at escape.  
Mamoru's fingers felt his bruised neck, and he could feel the faintest traces of a dying pulse, attributed to the general's barely intact heart. "He's alive....barely."  
Usagi lifted her hands, "I can save him. Just wait."  
Sailor Venus barked out, "No! It's too risky. You might kill him. Mamoru, is there anything that can be done?"  
The doctor shook his head, "No. Even if we were in an emergency room right now, it would not help. There is too much damage to repair. It's Sailor Moon or nothing."  
"Then what should we do? You're his friend."  
He hesitated, "I can't make that decision. He's my friend, yes,  
but I know someone who cares about him more than I."  
Rei stared at her lover with an expression akin to tortured pain. Even the headaches could not stop the tortuous emotions which roiled beneath the surface. 'He lied. And I loathe him more than I could ever another human being'  
She whispered, "Damn you, Jadeite. Damn you to hell!"  
Rei walked over and tried to pull him to his feet, screaming into his face, "Damn you! On your feet, soldier! Get up!" She sobbed into her gloved hands, "You can't leave me alone. Not now, not now! I love you..."  
"Then stand back." Sailor Moon's voice filled the air with hope. She closed her eyes and placed her hands in front of her, focusing her positive energies to the task at hand, "Moon Healing Escalation!"  
The light that emanated from her hands shot towards Jadeite,  
enfolding his body with warm strands of energy. Suddenly, something seemed to react as the light pulsated and strained, trying to heal the tainted vessel before it. And then, it began to expand as it never had before,  
a bubble of light which grew from the top of the building towards the sky and outwards.  
It was a glorious sight, an expanding curtain of light that fought against the darkness of the night and won for a moment. Those walking the streets might have thought it a rogue asteroid or comet or UFO. Yet the rushing curtain of light defied any sort of scientific explanation, merely aweing and blinding all those who dared look at it.  
  
I awoke to the smell of her hair. I inhaled the glorious scent which wafted down to my nose. It was heaven. It must have been.  
I had died a warrior's death, defending someone I loved with every ounce of strength I had available. I bore few regrets and little bitterness. It was my lot in life. There are few things better worth dying for than unrequited love.  
I smiled slightly, and finally opened my eyes. 'Funny, heaven isn't really all that different from my room.'  
I sat up, confused for a moment, before a pain in my chest forced me back into bed. I groaned and rubbed my chest gingerly. "I may not be dead, but I sure feel it." Curiously, I lifted my shirt, to see not a trace of a scar, nor any sort of blemish on my skin. Yet, I knew that I had died, for no doctor on earth could have repaired the damage I had sustained from that blast. And yet, there I was, at five thirty AM starring out at the summer sun, with a raven haired angel sitting in a chair by my side.  
Her head lay delicately rested on one hand, sleeping lightly so that any slightest disturbance might wake her up. I smiled softly and reached out to grab ahold of her hand. She woke up immediately and then stared at me, "Kaitou-san...."  
Smiling, I shuffled over a bit to make room. "Come to bed, Rei-chan. It has been very lonely without you." Rei smiled tiredly and slipped underneath the covers before savoring my lips with passionate kiss. Words were not needed as we fell asleep, blissfully tired from the exertions of the previous day.  
  
1 year later  
  
The California sunset splashed golden light across the foothills, leaving the entire view ablaze with light.  
The stars of the early evening sky twinkled like the now subdued lights of the city below him. The assembled gazed up at them, the names of stars and constellations soared through their mind, from Rigel to Sirius to Polaris, the North Star.  
I even managed to glimpse at the misty band of the Milky Way and through binoculars, made out three small, but distinct shapes. The faintest was a galaxy known as Triangulum. It was either a spiral or a spherical galaxy, I could not. The next two were the two Magellanic clouds, large and small. The two, small irregular shaped galaxies seemed to travel in a pair, orbiting each other and the Milky Way at the same time.  
The air started to turn dark and the first shadows fell across face. The autumn leaves spun like pinwheels, revolving around and around until they hit the ground. A gale whipped through the deciduous forest, throwing more and more leaves up into the air. The swirl of green and yellow and orange and red was a wonderful sight, and it never ceased to amaze. Looking up, a seemingly chaotic formation of birds flashed over me. I knew that the formation was not at all anarchy, but a carefully balanced and orchestrated formation that provided protection against aerial predators against which a single bird would not survive. It seemed like a symbiotic organism, moving as one fluid motion in a grace and beauty that only a few could appreciate.  
And the strength of the formation was soon put to the test. A single raptor circled high above, awaiting a strike opportunity. The golden eagle suddenly dove at the massed birds. The formation didn't waver, but resolutely held its place. As the raptor screamed through the cloud of birds, they all suddenly scattered. Reforming at at a higher altitude, a momentary haven from the hawk's attacks. The eagle rode the winds again and gain altitude quickly.  
Suddenly with another predatory cry, it dove down again. This time it caught up with one of the stragglers, gripping it with razor sharp talons. With a sharp twist, it broke the smaller bird's back and rode the winds down to the ground with its newly caught feast.  
"This is some place you have here." Minako walked over, whistling in awe.  
"A Man needs his castles. This is my fortress of solitude."  
The assembled did not get the reference and I sighed, "Never mind. I'll have plenty of time to work on my jokes. I think I'll have a lot more time on my hands."  
"I can't believe you're retiring already. How old are you.  
anyway? Thirty?"  
I shrugged and grinned at Mamoru, "A millenia or two give or take. But don't begrudge me my rest. Besides, I'm still going to be employed." I lifted a glass in salute to Mako, "We're going into business together."  
"It won't be just a restaurant, it'll be an experience. It won't simply sample the tastes of Tuscany, it will be Tuscany...just in Japan."  
Rei sighed, "You'll never stop will, you?"  
"It's in my blood, Rei-chan."  
Usagi grinned, "Would you actually want him to change?"  
She thought about it for a moment, "No, I would not."  
The senshi laughed at her mock seriousness and I kissed her on the forehead, "There is very little chance of that, love."  
"I hope so." she nestled into my arms, "This is is my home now."  
I chuckled and gazed at the others. "My home is always open to you. In case you ever need to get away from it all, or have a compulsion to see America, you only need ask for the key. Mi casa es tu casa."  
I hesitated, then hoisted my glass high, "To everlasting friendship!"  
"To friendship!"  
I smiled, "To strength in the face of adversity, to life and love. For the future is always unknown. Thus we must live for today, and let tomorrow come what may," Ending the Silver Millenium toast, I felt tears well up in my eyes.  
I wiped them away unashamedly and smiled out at the setting sun.  
"Those sound rather important things to me." Rei wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me into a fierce kiss, "I love you, Ryan Kaitou."  
"And I love you, Rei-chan. With all my heart and soul.." My voice trailed away as I gazed at the red sun setting in the distance. After a bit, Rei followed my gaze, reveling in the sheer beauty of the world around us. And for a moment, just for a moment, I was no longer afraid of the perils and insecurities that might come, for I knew that would not be forced to face them alone ever again. 


End file.
